How to Make a Small Living Room Seem Bigger

Making small spaces look bigger is one of the biggest challenges often encountered by homeowners. Some see a complete design overhaul as the only solution. However, there is no need to hire an interior decorator to fix this problem because, in most cases, it is possible to do it on your own. If your living room feels uncomfortably small and stuffy, you can use some fairly simple redecorating techniques to make it appear bigger and more open.

Things You'll Need

• Less furniture Small dining room table Large wall mirror Bright colors Sheer curtains

Instructions

1. Eliminate clutter. Do not use more than three pieces of any one type decor room accessory, for example vases. Minimize the number of items displayed on the floor, such as potted plants or stereo equipment. Place as many of them as possible on shelves and other furniture units.

2. Make sure that furniture is not blocking any walking pathways in the living room.

3. Opt for a dining table with removable leaves or one that is small in size if your living doubles as the dining room. Smaller tables can be removed and stored away when not needed, helping to make the room appear more spacious.

4. Expand the room visually by place a large wall mirror in such a way that it reflects light or an element you wish to emphasize, for example an attractive view or a door leading to another room.

5. Choose bright colors or light, neutral ones instead of dark colors when treating the walls. Avoid patterned wallpaper, which can overwhelm a small room. Consider using one color theme in two connecting rooms that are in the same line of sight. This technique can eliminate the dividing lines between the two rooms, opening them up.

6. Use sheer curtains to cover windows. Since bright rooms tend to look bigger, be sure to keep them pulled back during the day to bring in as much light into the room as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Use these techniques for making rooms look bigger, which increase the attractiveness of a home, when selling houses.

References

• Tips for making room look bigger
• Make any room look bigger