Making A Small Bedroom Feel Larger
Your client’s brief is to make a small bedroom appear larger…
Bring on the challenge with these tips:
Use a cool palette
Warm colours (reds, yellows, browns) make a space feel intimate as the walls advance. Cool colours push the walls back to create a more spacious feel – airy, breezy… take this into soft furnishings as well as rugs to create a harmonious scheme. (Keep in mind that not all whites create an airy feel – whites range from creamy, to stone.)
Let there be light
Apart from taking advantage of natural light, a light palette can also reflect light. You can enhance this further by using mirrors which give the illusion of a larger space.
Think of the horizontal line
Having low furniture will mean your eye can move around the room freely without interruption; opening up the room.
Beware of patterns and tones
Using very bold patterns and too many in a room, means they will all scream for attention and make the room feel busy. You could rather use plain base cloths and then an accent in a pattern. Try to stick to the same tone of timber e.g. all blonde, distressed grey, chocolate… (all cool or all warm tones); this will create repetition and rhythm.
Consider finishes
Glass, mirrored, gloss or transparent finishes will encourage the eye to look through a piece; bounce back a reflection; or enhance artificial and natural light.
Increase negative space
Keep the corners of a room free of furniture and a small space between the furniture and the walls; and include wall hung bedsides and other furniture on legs, which will allow for air movement, visually expanding the space.
Consider scale and quantity - smaller pieces and less pieces, will use up less space.
EmphasiZing a focal point
Highlight one feature in a room to catch the eye. It might be a large artwork above a bed (ensure the width of the painting is equal to or less than the width of the bedhead); a chandelier to lift the eyes up; or a bedroom chair in a gorgeous colour.
Avoid too many features in a room - focus on one.
Tricks of wallpaper
Must have that wallpaper? Opt for a horizontal stripe – this will make the walls look longer; and a vertical stripe will make the ceilings look higher.
Hang them high
Floor to ceiling curtains in a plain base cloth (similar colour or tone as the wall); can make a ceiling look higher.
Storage is key
Edit, edit, edit… keep surfaces free of clutter; floating shelves can lift those books off the floor; under-bed storage drawers can hide those tennis racquets; and built-in furniture maximizes available space.
