Tips to make a small room look larger

Key insights:

• Stick to light, bright and white paint colors to create a sense of openness.
• Hang floor-to-ceiling curtains that draw the eye up, making rooms feel taller and larger.
• When in doubt, clean it out. You’ll have more space in a clutter-free home.

Whether you’re staging a home with a closed floor plan or trying to make the most of the space you plan to live in for years to come, there are a variety of ways to create the illusion of a larger space.

Here are insights you can use to decorate, design and declutter the small rooms in your home to make them look bigger and appear more spacious.

Strategically decorate each room

Paint the room in a light or neutral color. To make a tiny room feel open, choose a subtle yet bright paint color. Hues that range from off-white, soft earth tones and greige can all be good options. Putting thought into the paint of your smaller rooms will open the space. And, if you’re unsure what color to pick, stick to white and other classic colors.

Incorporate large pieces of artwork. Although “gallery walls” — which showcase a variety of photos and frames — were all the rage over the last decade or so, smaller spaces may benefit from larger statement pieces instead.

Take advantage of the available space on your walls through large paintings, pictures and mirrors. Hanging bigger pieces can visually expand the room. Plus, mirrors can bounce around light, making an otherwise tight space feel a little more open.

Leave negative space. Be careful to leave room between sofas, side tables, lamps and other decor elements that you have in your smaller rooms. By allowing space between your various pieces of furniture and art, you’ll add to the sense of spaciousness — rather than having everything feel cluttered and cramped together.

Create the illusion of a larger space

Delineate the space with the right size rug. A rug that is too big or too small could end up hurting the design and your attempt to open the space. Be sure to choose the right-size rug to help distinguish and properly define the space. Generally speaking, it is better to size up if you are having trouble determining the perfect size.

Hang floor-to-ceiling curtains. Statement curtains that hang down to the floor of your room can help to elongate a wall and create the illusion of taller ceilings. When selecting oversized curtains, opt for airy fabrics and light colors. These materials and hues will aid in expanding your space without weighing it down.

Use bathroom tile design to your advantage. There are a variety of ways to optimize your room size through the use of tiles. Consider using jumbo tiles to reduce the amount of grout space (which makes a room look busy and smaller) or incorporate a monochromatic tile and paint color scheme to make your bathroom appear larger. You may also consider implementing this trick in other tiled areas, such as your laundry room, entryway or kitchen.

Declutter your home

To create a space you truly love and want to spend time in, consider decluttering. These methods of tidying up won’t just unburden your space, they’ll also create room. Simply put, a clean room always looks bigger than a messy room that’s overloaded with things. Here are four easy yet effective decluttering methods to try in your house:

1. KonMari Method — only keep what brings you joy
2. Swedish Death Cleaning — get rid of excess so others won’t have to
3. The Four Box Method — donate, trash, relocate, keep
4. 12-12-12 Challenge — find 12 items each to toss, donate and put away

Small rooms, big possibilities

Small spaces don’t have to feel that way. By following these tips, you’ll be able to implement new design and downsizing methods that help maximize your existing space.

For more decorating tips for your space or advice on how to stage your small home for a successful sale, reach out to Edina Realty or one of our agents.