Everyone who has a small space wants to maximise it to the hilt and make it work hard and look great. Yet because the room is small I find many people stop decorating too soon, and it just doesn’t end up looking as cool as it could do. Here are my 3 most important tricks:
GO BIG… WITH ART, MIRRORS OR BOTH!
Putting something oversized in a small room immediately adds grandeur. Because floor space is at a premium, wall-hung art or mirrors are usually the best option. Place it strategically such as over a sofa, bed or mantle. If you opt for taller as opposed to wider pieces it will draw your eye upwards, making it look even bigger. As for mirrors – well we all know they expand horizons and add depth. They work magic! Extra points for a convex mirror which literally reflects and expands the space.
Greg Cox, EST magazine
COME TO THE DARK SIDE
I know everyone (well, everyone apart from me) will tell you otherwise, but darker paints actually create the illusion of a larger space. Black on black disappears – it’s the oldest optical illusion trick in the book. So if you paint the walls dark, with trim, moulding and ceilings in the same hue the boundaries that cut up a room just seem to disappear. As there is no visual break, walls blur into ceilings creating infinity.
Apartment Therapy’s Big Book of Small Cool Spaces
DON’T LEAVE EMPTY SPACES
The more layers you add to a room the cooler the room will look… simple as. Don’t go too minimal or be scared that adding more stuff will make the space appear smaller – it doesn’t it makes the space feels cooler and bigger, because there’s so much to attract, delight and tantalise the eye. Perfect excuse to carry on decorating!