How to Make a Room Look Bigger: 4 easy Rules to Follow

This post is all about how to make a room look bigger with easy decorating tips.

Confession: when I bought my first home, I really didn’t have any idea what I was looking for.

In hindsight, I wasn’t thinking about room sizes and it really stumped me when it came time to decorate, because it seemed like barely anything fit into the rooms.

For example, my new living room was tiny, and I was very limited on the different ways I could arrange it.

And, don’t get me wrong, I love me a cute, small, cozy space.

But I quickly found out it really takes some thought and creativity to master decorating a small room without making it feel cluttered, and to also maximize space to make it look larger.

Small rooms definitely can make it difficult to find the perfect placement for your furniture when you are confined to a smaller space for decorating.

During my first year living in that home, I swear I re-arranged at least 15 times and I can confidently say I picked up a few important tips for making a living space feel larger than it actually is.

If you are in the same situation and want to know how to make a small room feel bigger, give these decor tips a try!

1. hang curtains close to the ceiling and wider than the window

This is a tip I implement in every room that I hang up curtains in, no matter the size.

Not only does hanging your curtains 2-3 inches from the ceiling create the illusion of bigger, taller ceilings, it also gives a sophisticated look, as long as your curtains are long enough to touch the ground.

If you are used to hanging your curtain rod close to the top window trim, try moving it up closer to the ceiling and see for yourself how much it can increase the overall feeling of the room size.

The same thing applies for the width of the curtains. Don’t just hang them directly above the window trim, even with the windows.

I like to go 6-12 inches past each side to make the window appear wider, and thus giving the room a more open feel.

2. Utilize a main focal wall for couch or bed placement

I moved my couch around every which way until I finally found that the best placement is one that is along the main wall of the living room.

I have tried it out in the middle of the room serving as a divider but it ended up doing just that; dividing up the room instead of giving it the open feel it needs to feel bigger. 

Placing your largest piece of furniture on the largest wall not only makes the most sense but it’s less likely to make the room look awkward or crowded.

Trust me on this!

3. less is more and bigger is better

If you have a compact room, you might think it would be better to scale down on furniture size. However, I actually found that having a few large furniture pieces looks way better than having numerous smaller ones.

Too many furniture items ends up crowding your space and looking cluttered.

Hence, for smaller living spaces, it looks best to stick with the basic furniture pieces only.

The same thing goes for having a bunch of trinkets, figurines, picture frames, etc.

I like to have a few artsy statement pieces and do away with having a bunch of sentimental decor sitting around.

Bonus perk: this cuts down on the time you will spend cleaning or dusting because there’s less things sitting around collecting dust!

It’s worth noting that venturing into minimalist decor has been life changing and I highly recommend it!

My post on how to start a minimalist lifestyle has a lot of great tips if you are interested in dabbling in minimalism.

4. opt for a light color palette

You will instantly give a larger than reality feel to your room by sticking with a light, bright color palette.

You can never go wrong with whites and light grays, light browns, or light greiges.

I went with one of the most popular of greiges, Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams, and it’s the perfect blend of warm & cool so it looks good with all different colors of flooring an decor.

It’s popular opinion that dark colors will weigh down a room, give it a heavy look, and make it look smaller than it really is.

A light-colored palette will give an open airy feel to an otherwise confined room.

Try lightening the wall color to see just how much it will transform your small room.

Final Thoughts on How to Make a Room Look Bigger

I hope this gave you some quick and easy inspiration for how to make a small room look bigger!

If you are currently dealing with decorating a small room, what are some tips you’ve used to give it a larger feel?

I would love to know so comment below!

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