Tips to Make Any Room Look Bigger

May 27, 2022

Whether you have a small apartment or a large open floor plan, making updates to your home’s design to make the space look bigger can make it feel more inviting.

Over the years we have found these tips help to open a space up and make it feel bigger.

Use Light, Neutral Colors

Light colors reflect light and can help to make an area feel bigger. Keep this in mind when you choose upholstery colors, wood tones, and paint colors for your room.

Choose a Neutral Floor Option

If you are considering new flooring for your home and want to make the space look bigger, light-colored flooring is best.

If your home already has dark flooring or you want to add a rug to make the space feel more comfortable, choose a neutral color. This Precia rug from Ashley Furniture is one of our favorite neutral options but still offers a classic, warm pattern.

Select Light Colored Upholstery & Wood Finishes

Choosing light-color upholstery and wood finishes for your main furniture pieces will help to make your room feel large and more spacious. A neutral selection will also make it easy to change decor down the road.

This New Classic Furniture sofa is one of our favorite neutral options for living room furniture.

You can incorporate this guideline in your bedroom as well by choosing a headboard or bed with a light-colored wood finish. This Ella bed incorporates scalloped edges for a romantic look with its White Wash finish.

Paint with Light & Contrasting Colors

If you are painting an open area where several rooms can be seen from one point, painting all of the long walls a light shade and the shorter walls a darker shade can make the space seem wider. Conversely, painting the long walls a darker shade and the short walls a lighter shade can make the room seem longer.

Brighten Space with Creative Lighting

Lighting is a great way to make an area seem bigger. Natural light is always great, so if removing blinds or adding skylights to your area is an option, start there. If not, options like placing lights behind your furniture, adding light to shelves, wall sconces, or even doubling up on the ceiling lights in the center of your room can all be great ideas.

Use Mirrors Strategically

A properly placed mirror can create an illusion of an area being bigger than it is. When choosing where to place a mirror, try to place it at eye level and in an area to reflect light. Areas like a foot or two behind a light source or across from a patio door or opposing window can really brighten a room up and make it feel larger.

Again, choosing a mirror with a light-colored wood finish or paint will make the space feel even brighter. This Alexandra mirror is one of our top choices.

Incorporate Vertical Lines

Vertical lines help to draw the eye upward and make any area feel taller. Painting vertical stripes on an accent wall is one way to achieve this, but not the only way. You can also incorporate vertical lines on furniture upholstery, furniture with legs that allow light to flow under it, or even a wall to ceiling shelf or bookcase to show off the room's height.

Use Multifunctional Furniture

Limiting the number of items in a room will provide more whitespace and keep the area open. Multifunctional furniture pieces, like this TV stand from Ashley Furniture, provide you with more space to store items and limit the number of furniture pieces you’ll need in the room.

Shop at Howard’s

Howard’s has been in business for over 75 years and is Southern California’s largest and most trusted appliance retailer. We offer free next-day delivery on purchases over $399 within qualified zip codes scheduled before 12 p.m. in the Southern California area.

To make things easier for our customers, we also offer online chat, phone consultations, and online ordering. Shop one of our 13 locations or browse our selection online at Howards.com.

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