If you have a small living room, you’ll know that everything counts. But you can use certain design concepts that fool the eye and make your space bigger than it is. Let these ideas inspire you.

Light Colours and Contrasts

Icy blues and cream shades make lounges look bigger. It’s all about optical illusions. Bright, light coloured walls tend to be more reflective and help make your space feel airy and open. A great tip is to paint the wall trim and mouldings in lighter shades than the walls. This makes the walls seem further back, opening up your living space.

Carefully Consider Lighting

Lounges that allow for the flow of natural light can really make the interior look larger and more open. If your space doesn’t have much light, try adding some effects. Large windows will open up for the flow of natural light and feel as though you’ve brought the outdoors in. Make sure your blinds or curtains are sheer, though, or tied back to let in as much light as possible. Soft lamps bring in focal areas and hints of colour too.

No Clutter

Keep lounges organised and tidy. There’s nothing that makes a smaller space seem cramped than clutter. Avoid covering your walls with too much artwork and loads of pictures. If there’s too much fighting for attention, the room will feel crowded. Instead, create a focal point to draw the eye. Also, arrange your furniture in a way that focus is drawn to that focal point and keep décor in the room minimal. Keep your floor clear too, to create a sense of space and avoid large rugs.

Image by: Daniel Goodwin

Arranging Furniture in Lounges

Let’s face it, furniture takes up space. To avoid feeling like you’re falling over it, check out these tips:

• Make use of multi-function furniture, such as a chest that can double as a coffee table. Or use sofa beds to save on space or even chest of drawers. Nests of tables can be tucked away too when you’re not using them.
• Put your larger pieces of furniture up against the walls to open up middle spaces and not break off any space you really need.
• Scale furniture down to fit the size of lounges and avoid blocking the pathways. If furniture and other accessories block the view of the room, it’s going to look incredibly cramped. Move the furniture away from the walkways to open up space and make the room feel bigger. The rule of thumb is if you can see the floor, the room will feel larger. Not being able to see the floor makes the room look small and cramped.
• Try to have at least one piece of furniture that is the same shade as the walls. Even bigger pieces like chests and armoires can start to blend into the space and make lounges look a lot bigger than they really are.
• Set furniture out at an angle. This works well as the longest straight line in any room is diagonal. Placing the furniture at a slight angle helps draw the eye across a longer distance as opposed to zoning in on the shorter wall. Best of all, this can open up for extra storage space behind the piece of furniture.
• If lounges have taller furniture, it can make the room feel as though it has a much lower ceiling than it really does. Be sure to have as much space as you can between your furniture.
• Finally, choose chairs and sofas that have exposed legs and open arms. What’s more, glass tables make spaces look more open and free and allow for light to filer underneath furniture to make for an airier living room.