Create An Illusion Of A Spacious Home With These 7 Design Tips

In these days of escalating real estate prices, we often have to make do with small houses. Here are 7 tips to help make a small space look larger, and create an illusion of a spacious home.

Whether we have large sprawling homes or tiny apartments, each one of us dream about walking into luxurious, organized homes, but we make common mistakes when renovating them. Read on and use these 7 tips and surely you all will have some where to begin…

Clear the clutter

Stand in your living room and see how many things our hearts connect to. I have come to realize over time that ultimately a home is what makes our minds peaceful. It’s a place which calms us and makes us grateful for what we are. Memories from our lives collected over the years. The things that we sometimes buy but only to realize they don’t fit in. So to start with a clear canvas, remove these meaningless things and put them aside in storage. This includes the larger pieces like, art, sculptures, furniture etc… Some of these might be gifted to us and we feel obligated to hold on to them… please don’t. Try hard to re use some things but if you can’t, just pass them on to someone who can find some use for them.

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Vignettes

Keeping little collectibles randomly on a console or side table just adds to the clutter. And since we just talked about clearing it, there are things in our collections which are tiny yet so unique. So the best way to showcase these is by putting them casually on little trays and pretty platters. Find unique finishes which are available in plenty of home stores around town. Choose glass, mirror, gold/silver leaf, inlayed, distressed paint or polish. There’s an array of finishes to choose from. Choose the one best suited for your style. These framed little groups immediately attract attention. Try putting these on coffee tables, consoles, or corner tables with lamps.

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Mirrors

I know every blog talks about using these but I’m going to re-iterate it. Please include these in your homes fearlessly. I change homes with my family every couple of years if not more but I’m not afraid to get more mirrors whenever I find an option. Even as I type, I’m contemplating in investing in another couple of beautiful mirrored panels. These are a sure shot way to glam up your living space. Get a cluster of small mirrors and put them up together or get yourself one large frame for the formal living room/bedroom. The best part is you don’t even have to fix it on a wall. I just let mine rest against a wall for that casual yet elegant look.

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Colour scheme

The moment we choose a monochromatic colour palette for a small space, it instantly adds a lot of depth in the room. The space looks larger and feels luxurious to whoever walks in. A few colour splashes thrown here and there are perfect too. Personally in the accents, I like to choose an earthy tone which doesn’t bore too quickly. Using too many bright shades bright/printed fabrics and paint textures which actually clash with each other make a room look very small and cluttered.

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Dressing windows

This one is very crucial. Usually we do not have pretty looking window frames unless the house is renovated keeping in mind the option of having no curtains. In situations where having curtains is inevitable… I suggest choosing rich textiles but nothing with a busy bold print. It restricts a space so much and ends up being distracting. The furnishing stores lure us to get lots of patch work, appliqué work etc but all to make a room look really busy in the end. Doing our research before going curtain hunting helps to not get tempted. Keep it simple. A beautifully textured fabric which is cotton or a heavy silk will always look more posh than something which is trying too hard. Remember that a room speaks collectively with all these little elements in a room. Focusing all our energies on one piece can be fatal as it will restrict us in choosing other finishes. Allowing natural light in a room is very refreshing and if that’s not an option go for neutral colours for curtains or blinds. They definitely give the illusion of a larger space.

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Choose wall art carefully

It’s very natural for us to lean towards small frames, smaller artifacts and small sized furniture in a small or even a moderate sized room. It may surprise many that more number of small size pieces will always make your home look more cluttered. To emphasize on creating a larger space of your style is possible only by investing in fewer pieces but larger ones. That’s true for furniture as well as what you cover the statement walls with. For example, a very traditional looking interior can be complimented with a big canvas of a contemporary style. The contrast is very inviting and also breaks the monotony.

                                                                   image source: shutterstock images

Pay attention to the layout

Every room has a designers’ essential list of furniture which can be played around with depending on the space one has. You can add a piece or two or simply take away some. But the important thing is not to clutter up. Try to keep the furniture slightly away from the walls.  Don’t compromise on the size and comfort of the furniture, because functionality of any design is of prime importance.

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Today I will actually give away the secret list of essentials for a living room.

I would love to know if playing around with these help make your living spaces more warm …

• 3 to 4 seat couch
• Partially upholstered armchair
• Corner tables, height same as the sofa arms
• Console, either sofa back or used against a wall
• Statement high back chair
• Étagère
• Coffee table- size standards- 5’x3’, 6’x4’, 4’x4’, 3’x3’, 3.5’’x2.5’
• Table lamps

Header image source: spacious home by Shutterstock.

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