Trick the Eye Into Thinking That Your Space is Bigger Than it Really Is

Trick the Eye Into Thinking That Your Space is Bigger Than it Really Is

Charmaine Kon by Charmaine Kon on Mar 29, 2017
Why you should care

Small apartment interior design is not rocket science. Simple tricks with colour, furniture layout, and windows can make a large impact on your condominium or apartment. Change up your apartment interior with these tips.

Contrary to popular belief (and vocabulary), a spacious room doesn’t need to have actual space.

It doesn’t take a lot to make a space feel bigger than it really is. The key is to extend your view upwards and sideways, far beyond the confines of your actual square feet.

Choose and Place Your Furniture Wisely

You may already know not to choose furniture pieces that are too large, but did you know that you also shouldn’t choose pieces that are too tall? Watch out for that back on that arm chair, make sure that it doesn’t swallow the height of the room. Furniture that are lower to the ground leaves more breathing room for the eyes.

Low bed bedroom

SOURCE: redbookmag.com

Speaking of breathing room, place your furniture away from the wall – don’t stick the back of that sofa to the wall, it will make the room appear stuffy. Also arrange your furniture to make way for walkways and don’t block traffic from entrances and exits.

Floating sofa

SOURCE: apartmenttherapy.com

To further enhance traffic and create an illusion of flow (and space), choose rounded tables without hard edges. As for chairs and tables, choose ones with neat, vertical legs instead of ones that splay out.

gold coffee table

SOURCE: Livesimplybyannie.com

Single Colour, Multiple Shades

While some experts say light coloured walls reflect light and make the room appear bigger, others say that dark walls appear to recede, making them seem like they are further away than they really are.

Our takeaway: whatever colour you choose for your room, it’s best to keep to one colour for your walls, ceiling, and flooring, and for interest, vary the shades! This unifies the room and doesn’t interrupt the flow of one surface to another, making the room look larger.

All grey room

SOURCE: Bloglovin.com

One Flooring to Rule Them All

The same way that a single colour extends a space, choose one type of flooring for an open space to reduce visual interruption. For the same reason, select wider floor boards or tiles.

While rugs add cosiness and make great decorative additions, minimise the use of rugs or keep them small or only slightly larger than the furniture it’s under. Never place whole sofas on a rug; make sure half of the base juts out of the rug.

Wide wooden floor boards

SOURCE: Bloglovin.com

Don’t Cover Your Windows

It’s no secret that light makes a room feel more spacious. If you don’t get direct sunlight through your windows and if they don’t face a neighbour, consider leaving windows uncovered or minimally covered with sheer curtains.

Sheer curtain living area

SOURCE: lifewithme.com

Create an illusion of height and width by placing your curtain rod as close to the ceiling as possible, then extend the rod out from the horizontal measurement of the window.

Add Reflective Surfaces

To stream even more light through your space, add reflective surfaces like glass furniture, mirrored tiles, and reflective counters. Or even better, good ol’ mirrors.

Reflective backsplash

SOURCE: Domino.com

The right oversized mirror will sit well in a petite space.

Oversized mirror

SOURCE: blog.froy.com

Doors are Optional

Downsize your shelves and counters by having doorless options. In line with rustic interiors, open shelving is extremely trendy now.

Kitchen open shelves

SOURCE: Jenloveskev.com

Consider removing doors between rooms like the living room and dining area. Instead, use an archway to draw a line between the space without closing off rooms. You can also use sliding doors that don’t take up too much space and can be left open when you need the space. Barn doors are also extremely trendy!

barn door home

SOURCE: Interiorbarndoors.org

Secret or Strategic Storage

When space is a premium, you’ll have to find ways to store your books, remote controls, and other knick knacks in clever ways. Consider trunks that double as seating or ottoman that double as coffee tables.

Rattan ottoman storage

SOURCE: urbanoutfitters.com

If you’re going with over storage, then go all the way…to the top, that is. Ceiling to floor shelving makes the room feel taller than it actually is.

Looking for a professional for your home? Get in touch with Malaysian interior designers.
You can also check out other local interior design portfolios.

Cover image from architecturaldigest.com

Why you should care

Small apartment interior design is not rocket science. Simple tricks with colour, furniture layout, and windows can make a large impact on your condominium or apartment. Change up your apartment interior with these tips.

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