Top Sellers
PART TYPE
BY MATERIAL
RANGE
SUNDRIES
Whatever the size of your home, you’re probably thinking you could do with a little more space. One option is to bring in the builders for renovations, such as extensions or loft conversions. This will certainly create the additional space you crave, but it can also be costly and disruptive to home life.
However, with a few simple tricks you can both create more useable space or give off the impression of a larger space, adding value to your home, without the need for larger-scale renovations.
Here are our top tips to help you create a more spacious home:
The most spacious homes always have one thing in common - they all make use of their vertical space, taking advantage of the full height of each room. This can be through furnishing upwards or utilising wall space for storage or decoration.
In smaller rooms, making use of vertical space is even more advantageous. With the limited floor space, tall shelving, built-in cupboards and bookcases are a brilliant way to provide extra storage.
Storage and space go hand-in-hand – the more storage you have, the more space you have. Take time to look around your home for underused areas and make use of them with storage solutions such as cupboards and dual-purpose furniture such as seats that double up as a handy place to store magazines or toys so they’re not out on show.
There are plenty of spaces around the home to consider. For example, under the stairs, under beds, behind doors, beneath desks. You’ll be surprised just how many options there are.
Lights, mirrors and glass may not actually create more space, but they certainly give the impression of it.
The right lighting methods can make us perceive things that are not necessarily the way they look, making rooms look bigger, cleaner, and more spacious.
Letting plenty of natural light into your room will not only make it feel bigger, but it will also make a room feel more open and welcoming – big windows and light-coloured curtains is a great way to achieve this. Careful positioning of artificial light such as lamps and wall lighting will also give the impression of added space.
For reflection of light, mirrors and glass can also do wonders for a room – making it look both bigger and brighter. But make sure the mirrors don’t reflect a busy part of the room, such as a wall full of art, as that can have the opposite effect and make the room seem too busy.
One way to create the illusion of a room extending on and on is to pick light colours for the walls. White is the obvious choice, but creams and light shades of pink, blue and green are also very effective. Even better if your colour choice matches the doors and trims, blending together to maximise every inch of space.
While darker colours may bring warmth to a room, they don’t reflect light, and can make a small room feel smaller than it actually is.
Possibly the most obvious of all, but if your home feels like it lacks space or the walls are closing in on you, then it may be a great time to have a tidy out. Consider getting rid of items that have become stagnant or unloved and focus on the functionality of each room.
To avoid throwing things out you may go on to regret, keep it simple and create a schedule for your home. Pick one room at a time, and don’t go too far – if a room is too empty it can have the opposite effect.