We all secretly crave the large and airy rooms we see in those glossy interior design magazines but how can we go about achieving that when we have the daily clutter to deal with and a spaghetti junction of wiring for the TV and home cinema system? Smaller rooms do have a plus point; they can be cosy and quaint which may be a distinct advantage in the bedroom but they do not ooze the glamour of those larger rooms.
One solution is to have a rethink around your house and maybe instigate a radical relocation plan. Use the proportions of the room as the guiding factor and you might eradicate that problem altogether. Larger rooms do tend to attract more clutter - people with smaller living spaces do have to be that little bit more disciplined in what they keep around the house and how they store those items. It may sound a disadvantage but there is something to be said for removing everything you do not use regularly and to live your life simply, free from the clutter of extraneous objects.
Here are some suggestions to help you think big:
- Lighten your walls with pale tints of receding colours such as blue, green and lilac. Red and orange are advancing colours and should be avoided if you want to maximise your feeling of space.
- Borrow space by visually linking rooms together. You can achieve this by allowing neutral colours and floors to flow between adjacent rooms and keep open or remove internal doors to allow views of other spaces.
- Bounce light around a room with mirrors and reflective surfaces. This works well in kitchens and small bathrooms where mirrored tiles and shiny splashbacks fit into the scheme.
- Banish clutter with cupboards and sideboards with built-in storage space. Solid wood furniture works well here as it has a unique feel that lends a natural warmth to any living space. Look out for oak coffee tables and oak sideboards - both look stylish and desirable yet they are functional too.
- Hide those TV cables with a TV cupboard made from a natural solid wood. Minimalist designs are great but they can make it difficult to hide all those power leads.
- Think about what the eye sees when you enter a room. Avoid tall wall units in your direct field of vision and go with the coffee tables and sideboards mentioned earlier. These items of furniture take the visual clutter away from your immediate view. This also broadens your horizons, so to speak.
- Use uplighters in your lighting scheme. Their vertical beams of light make a room seem taller and take attention away from its immediate dimensions.
- Create a focal point in your room. An oak coffee table does a great job here - it is low so it avoids your immediate eye level, but it adds a real sense of style and comfort to the room once you are sitting down. It takes attention away from the edges of the limited dimensions of the room.
Many of the suggestions above are just optical tricks but they have been used successfully by interior designers for many years. If you want to make the most of the spaces you have, follow their lead and start thinking big.