Monday, December 7, 2009

5 Easy Tips To Make Your Space Bigger

By Nadine Alleyn

Not everyone lives or wants to live in the mansion on the hill. Smaller homes are more economical, easier to look after and the good news is, they don't have to feel small. Here are five tips you can use to make your home feel larger.

Firstly, change your mindset and think big. You might not live in the Taj Mahal but you can think big when it comes to decorating your home. Try on a couple of these suggestions for size and see what happens.

1. Get out your paint rollers. Any decorator can tell you that using deep, dark colors makes a room smaller. Using lighter colors can make a room seem brighter and larger. If you already have the eggshell colors that come with most new homes, try a lighter blue shade or a pale yellow. Both colors are cool and calm to the soul. A lighter shade of blue gives the illusion of being outside too!

2. Use smaller pieces of furniture or one large piece. At one time, almost everyone wanted a sectional sofa. While it provides a lot of seating in a living room, it also takes up a lot of space that you might not have in a smaller dwelling. You can still have a fair amount of seating with armchairs and a loveseat. Forget about the overstuffed furniture as well. A simple couch works better when you're working with limited floor space.

3. Dark hardwood floor or a light area rug? A dark color generally means cozy whether it is paint, furniture or flooring. An exception to the rule is hardwood flooring. The noise alone from walking across the floor makes any space seem larger. If genuine hardwood is not in your budget then laminate with a classic hardwood texture is a great alternative. A light colored area rug can also add the sense of more space.

4. Use open lighting schemes. Lamps in a room reflect on intimacy. When you are trying to make a small space seem larger, use more overhead lighting. Try track lighting, ceiling fans or chandelier lights. Letting more light in will open every corner of the room. Keep your curtains and blinds light colored and easily opened as well. During the day let the sun shine in through them to help create a positive, wide open appearance.

5. Follow the path. Nothing says "small space" in a room like having to dangle through a mixed bag of furniture and floor lamps. You can arrange your furniture as you like but try to create a definite path from one side to the other. This way, you won't feel cramped or boxed in and if by chance you have to cross the room in darkness, you will not have to worry as much about banging your shins or stubbing your toes.

If lack of space is a problem for you then use these suggestions to make whatever room you have seem just a little bit bigger.

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