Making spaces brighter and larger: 12 Tips & Ideas

Small apartments have many advantages – there is hardly any echo in a few square meters, the room can be heated inexpensively, and the rental costs are kept within reasonable limits. However, tightly cut rooms can quickly appear cramped with poor lighting and furnishings. With a few simple decorating tips, you can also make small and awkward spaces appear brighter and larger:

1. Make ceilings and walls appear brighter in rooms

Bright ceilings and walls reflect incoming light and make dark rooms shine with brightness. In this living concept, the walls should predominantly feature white or pastel colors to prevent them from feeling limiting and oppressive.

Pastel tones also make textiles and furniture pieces like the coffee table, armchairs and rugs appear less bulky than dark colors.

2. Make your rooms appear larger with mirrors

With a large wall mirror in oval or rectangular shapes, a narrow hallway and elongated rooms can easily be made to appear larger. Additionally, lamps and incoming sunlight are reflected in the glass. This allows you to fully utilize the luminosity of existing light sources.

3. Keep floors clear and embrace minimalism

A stylish method of brightening up room design is the use of wall shelves and wall hooks instead of sideboards or chests of drawers. This saves a lot of floor space and leaves room for freedom of movement. The room effect is open and the living space appears much larger.

4. Place light sources strategically

You can make rooms appear taller by illuminating the upper area of the wall with a light source. The view can be distracted from the low ceiling by using light and by adding accents, thus creating an illusion of more space. This slightly changes the perspective on the room layout.

5. Visually brighten the floor

Small and dark rooms gain more depth with a light floor, and an optical enlargement occurs. On dark parquet, you can quickly create contrasts with living trends such as a light rug. They catch the eye immediately. These make rooms appear larger and, for example, create a cozy atmosphere in your home on the sofa.

6. Monochrome Room Design

As a trendy alternative to carpets, decor enthusiasts are increasingly opting for monochromatic room designs in subtle colors such as beige, blue, or white. When the wall color, decorations, and furniture of the room blend together in color, the boundaries between wallpaper and interior design blur.

The space appears more unlimited. Furthermore, open room dividers such as shelves are ideal for separating different areas in rooms. This way, you can make the living and dining room appear larger. Thus, darkness in niches is no longer an issue.

7. Use different patterns

Striped patterns have the effect of visually elongating the surfaces of a room. Vertically aligned stripes make low ceilings in living rooms or bedrooms appear higher. Meanwhile, horizontally aligned stripes stretch fabrics and walls. Cross stripes create a special effect that can make rooms appear larger.

A tip: With a selection of differently patterned furniture such as shelves, special wall colors, unique wallpaper, and curtains in coordinated colors, your rooms will gain an interesting structure that does not appear overwhelming. With pictures and various patterns, you also round off the design and create a more cozy atmosphere.

However, be careful not to overcrowd the living space. It is best to first sketch the various elements on the floor plan. This will give you an initial impression.

8. Wall partition with paint or cladding

In the bathroom, kitchen, or children's room, a two-tone division is suitable for wall design. This is a lasting trend, and you can find plenty of inspiration online. With this arrangement, choose bold colors or materials like natural wood for the floor area and surfaces. The upper part of the wall is painted in a light color.

A tip: The environment can be further illuminated with wall lights or an expansive ceiling light. However, remember that less is often more and combining too many elements can create a restless ambiance. Particularly in the children's room, it is important that you create a space of calm with soothing nuances.

9. Balancing proportions with the right furniture

Do not underestimate proportions when designing your rooms. Items such as L-shaped sofas create ample lounging space without completely taking over the room. For rooms with low walls, cabinets that match the room height are suitable. These options visually enhance the height. Moreover, a simple desk looks better than an opulent model, as it appears minimalist. Less is indeed more!

10. Leave walls clear

A common decorating mistake is the excessive cluttering of walls with knick-knacks. Particularly in upper floor apartments with sloping ceilings, areas of the walls should ideally not be overly besieged by bookshelves or other furniture and pictures for an effective impact. This way, they do not visually overwhelm the space in this instance.

11. Implementing open living concepts

An open living design without doors or with glass doors and large windows is already the norm in offices. Wooden doors can also be replaced without drilling by folding doors, curtains in the doorway, or mosquito nets. This creates the illusion of a larger space in the study on one hand.

On the other hand, you can separate everything within a short time using the curtains if you want to create a more private atmosphere. This design particularly improves the indoor climate in the summer and also facilitates color coordination. 

12. Optimal Space Planning

By using space correctly, you can effectively utilize unused areas as storage space and make your rooms appear brighter and larger. Chests of drawers or shelves in the right color offer a great opportunity to create order and hide items. This way, the first impression is captivating, while nothing is left lying around. A tip: Also use plants as home accessories when decorating. They bring life into the home.

Has our post inspired you and are you looking for new furniture for your apartment? Then visit our shop and discover our offers. Surely there is also a highlight for you!