20 Ideas to Make Your Whole Home Feel Bigger
We turned to the wise voices of the Internet, more specifically Lauren Hannel at Apartment Therapy, to find the essential tips and tricks you'll need to make your home feel open and welcoming, no matter what the size. Everything's better with some support, so let's navigate this big journey through small spaces together.
(Image credit: Samara Vise)
Organization
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Spring for built-ins. Rather than stress over finding the perfect piece, sometimes you have to accept that your custom space needs a custom solution. If you can spring for built-ins (or DIY with some IKEA hacks), use this as your starting point.
Strategic furniture arrangement. Nothing makes a room feel cluttered like badly-placed furniture! Use this handy guide to see how to successfully arrange your space.
Pull furniture outward. Bringing furniture out from the wall helps make a room feel bigger; DIYs like this behind-the-couch console make this change functional as well.
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Replace doors with glass. Rather than closing your room off, glass doors or open shelving draw the eye back to create depth. Plus, knowing your items are on display should make you extra diligent about keeping everything organized.
Sneaky storage. Shh, it's our little secret. There are a ton of beautiful furniture and design options that let you keep things close at hand but tucked away.
Create a sanctuary. Your bedroom should be a place you'll be excited to unwind in (while also maximizing the possible space).
Design
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Keep the colors light. Choosing light and airy colors for your room encourages a feeling of openness. Keeping your decor close to the same monochromatic colors will have a similar effect.
Use stripes to lengthen. Just like with open cabinetry, stripes help to "lengthen" the room. Try it out on the walls, or (even easier) with a long striped rug.
Draw the eye upward. With available shelving, build upward! Another easy trick to lead the eye toward the ceiling (and make your windows look bigger) to strategically position your drapes above and slightly wider than the window edges.
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Face furniture toward a window. Once you've found the correct furniture arrangement, try to prioritize facing seating towards a window. That way no one's left feeling claustrophobic while staring at a blank wall.
Use oversized art. I had always assumed the opposite of this was true, but hanging oversized art will actually make your room feel bigger and more impactful. Just don't add too many big pieces, or it'll feel cluttered.
Widen narrow doorways. Painting the edges of a doorway in a contrasting color will create the illusion of having more space.
Check your rug size. Before you go and snag the perfect rug, make sure you've chosen the perfect size. This guide will be your best friend in maximizing the space of your home.
Decor
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Try a lofted bed. Create instant space by getting a lofted bed! You're taking advantage of ceiling space and freeing up an area that would otherwise (probably) have junk shoved under it.
Choose furniture with legs. This same visual trick works with your furniture; choosing items with legs allow your eyes to move through them and make the room feel more spacious.
Play around with size. The perfect example of bigger isn't always better: just because the furniture piece can fit in your space, doesn't mean it should. Test out different combinations/sizes to see what works for you.
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Double-duty furniture. Whether it's an ottoman that doubles as a coffee table or console that can act as a desk, picking out furniture that has more than one function is always a smart choice.
Bent wire can trick the eyes. Did you know that bent-wire tricks the eye into thinking a space is bigger than it really is? Take advantage of this optical illusion and invest in some classic bent-wire furniture.
Or, keep it clear. Aside from just looking cool and modern, glass and Lucite furniture help visually free-up space in a room.
Magic mirrors. Mirrors reflect light and create depth; just make sure that what you're reflecting is visually appealing (aka, don't face it toward the blank side of your neighbor's house).
