How to Decorate Small Houses to Make Them Feel Big
- 1). Paint the walls a light hue. Light colors recede from the eye, while dark colors seem to draw the walls inward. Use the same paint color for all of the main living areas to provide continuity and prevent the eye from stopping at individual rooms. This is particularly effective if you have an open floor plan.
- 2). Remove the clutter. Choose one conversation piece for the mantel, rather than lining it with knickknacks. Choose simple accent pieces for end tables. Pack handiwork and craft projects away in bins and drawers or tuck them under the coffee table where you can easily access them without taking up extra floor space.
- 3). Choose furniture that shows open space around its profile. For example, a chair with an open back and graceful wooden legs allows the eye to pass through to the floor and wall behind it, opening up the space. A solid, fully upholstered chair blocks your line of sight and makes the space appear smaller. Avoid oversized furniture and stick with low-profile, sleek lines.
- 4). Do double duty with decorative chests that store linens, a table with a drop-leaf that saves space when it's not being used and sofas with pullout beds for guests. In small spaces, make each piece of furniture work for you, so you can use fewer pieces.
- 5). Hang a framed mirror over the fireplace or on a wall facing the windows. The reflected light and space opens the room and makes it appear larger than it is. Keep window treatments simple to let in as much light as possible. If you need to cover the window, consider a roman shade or a pleated shade that takes up little space when raised but offers privacy when lowered.
