With some homes being on the small size, there are many ways to open up your home to make it appear more spacious and open.
Let the light in
Check your windows without curtains, blinds or nets and observe how much light the windows let into your home during various times of day. Some windows are small and won’t let in as much light as you would like. Think about how you dress your window and the maximum light you can let in. If you put net curtains up for privacy, then you will limit the amount of light that will enter your home. You can fit blinds that will let the maximum amount of light into a room and also that you can regulate.
Light colours
If you decorate your home in dark and bold colours, this will tend to make your rooms appear darker and smaller. The trick is to paint your home in light and neutral shades that reflects the light that comes into the home. Shades of white with a hint of pastel colour do the trick nicely, or alternatively light creams, beiges and yellow tones. Always paint your ceilings white which will give the appearance of space and height and finish woodwork, skirting boards and window frames in white.
If you prefer to wallpaper your home, then choose light reflecting prints that are subtle and not too bold. Some wallpaper is designed to be light and spacious and reflect the light back out from the walls.
Flooring
Similarly to the walls, dark flooring can close up a space significantly. Choose light wood flooring or light carpets or tiles that will not overpower the room and will blend simply into a space.
Don’t clutter
Cluttering up a home with ornaments, belongings, furniture and clothes will undoubtedly give you less space and make your home look disorganised and crammed full of things. Books and CDs especially will also give rooms a cosy, smaller appearance. If you want to look like you have more space then re-organise your books, CDs and ornaments as much as you can and throw away what you don’t need or use. You can also arrange furniture so that it gives a spacious feel, and choose furniture that is light in colour. If you choose imposing furniture, you will need to have the space for it otherwise choose sleek, modern furniture that suits smaller spaces. You can also use clever storage spaces such as under-bed storage drawers and hanging, divided compartments in wardrobes to make organisation easier in the home.
Clear your kitchen
The kitchen is a room that is often not as large as we would like it, and we can always do with more room in the kitchen. We also tend to accumulate a lot of things in a kitchen, some that we don’t even use or need. Have a look through your kitchen cupboards and throw away any items and kitchen utensils that you don’t use or haven’t used in the past year. You can then make room for sauces, salt, pepper, tea, coffee and put those kitchen items and foodstuff away and clear your kitchen worktops and spaces which will ultimately give you more room.
Make space elsewhere
If you have loft space, then utilise that space to store any unwanted items or items that you don’t use often. If your wardrobes are bulging with clothes, then sort them into seasons and store winter clothes in the loft in summer and summer clothes in the loft in winter. For unwanted items, hold a yard or boot sale or give them away to charity shops. You can also auction unwanted items online. By utilising your loft space you can free up more space in the living rooms of your home.
Sonia Camber does interior design in Surrey and London and advises on home improvement.
How To Make Your Home More Spacious
