5 clever design tricks to make a small home look bigger
When I moved to New York City for journalism school, my room in my shared apartment was so small I could nearly touch the ends of each wall simultaneously with my arms outstretched.To make the room seem less cramped, I bought a tall, mirrored wardrobe.It not only provided storage for my stuff, but reflected much-needed light from the window.
When you looked at the mirror at the right angle, it made my room look double the size.That's just one of many clever ways to make a small room feel bigger.With smart planning and creative thinking, you can create a spacious, comfortable home for yourself without breaking the bank or making your landlord anxious, say interior designers.The key is to make your furniture work harder for you, says Shamika Lynch, founder of the design firm Maximizing Tiny Interiors in New Jersey.
"Every item in your home needs to serve a purpose.You don't have extra square footage [for things] that are just going to be decorative."She and other interior designers share their favorite design tricks for small spaces.When you live in a cramped home, it can be precarious to move around — and decluttering can only take you so far.
Create more breathing room by taking furniture off the floor, says Lynch.Here are three ways to do that.It might seem counterintuitive, but adding a bit of walking room, about 18 to 24 inches, behind your couch, side table or armchairs can create the illusion of depth, says Gater.
It makes a room feel less flat by introducing more light, shadow and overlapping sight lines.If you try this technique, Gater says to anchor your floating furniture with a focal point like a rug, shelves or a console table to pull all the elements together and create a distinct zone.Hang your curtains a bit higher and wider than your window frame.That will draw the eye upward and out to create the illusion of a taller, wider room, says Gater.There's no exact formula for how high or wide to hang your curtain rod since every home is different, bu...