The way in which you decorate a small space can have a significant impact on how a room looks and feels. If you have recently moved into a property that’s slightly on the small side, you may feel confined and uncomfortable, which is most likely down to the style of décor used. However, by decorating the space well, you can fool the eye into making the room seem larger than it actually is. All that’s needed is a few helpful hints to steer you in the right direction.

In this article, we’re going to look at just a few of the ways you can make a small living space feel much more inviting.

·      Use light colours

Light colours almost create the optical illusion of a much brighter and airier space as they tend to reflect the light; in comparison to dark colours which absorb the light and can make a room feel dark and claustrophobic. If you’re unsure on which tones to choose, opt for the likes of white, cream and pastel hues.

·      Incorporate lighting

If your home is well-positioned in an area of natural light – make the most of it! Install large windows, so your living room feels more streamlined into the outdoors and install mirrors on walls, so the natural light bounces off it. If, however, your living room isn’t well-lit, you’ll need to invest in a variety of artificial lighting such as floor or wall lamps in dark corners to emphasise the scale of the room.

·      Get rid of clutter

There’s nothing that makes a space feel more confined than crowding your room with stuff. Aim to keep your belongings out of sight and neatly organised, or simply go on a de-cluttering spree.

The decoration within a room can also make a space feel cluttered, so keep wall paintings and ornaments to a minimum. A single focal object would be better than randomly placed decorations dotted throughout.

The style of curtains you choose can also trick the eye into making the space feel more expansive, so stick to neutral schemes with minimal patterns and lightweight fabrics. Work out the size of your window and select the most appropriate curtain poles for your room décor before choosing your curtains.

·      Choose multi-purpose furniture

One of the biggest downfalls of small living rooms is that you can’t include all the furniture you’d like due to lack of space. One way to overcome this hurdle would be to invest in multi-purpose furniture. In terms of storage, select an ottoman that can be used to hide your clutter, as well as an extra seat or even a table.

·      Remove the door

Open-plan living is a recent craze in the world of interior design, and while it’s a clever idea to maximise your living space, it takes a great deal of time, money and work to fulfil this ambition. Instead, you could simply remove the doors in your living room to create a free-flowing space through to the rest of the home.