If you own or rent a small apartment, then you know how charming and cozy it can be, but it’s also equally challenging. A small apartment can at times be suffocating, not because there is not enough space to move around and get things done, but the lack of space can feel a little confining. Luckily, there is always something you can do about it. There is a lot you can do to make your small apartment look bigger and benefit from the illusion of spaciousness without compromising your finances or the charm of a small space. Here is how you can go about doing that.

Use Light Colors

Since making a small apartment look bigger is all about illusions, one of the most important places to start is your choice of color. A well-known interior design trick is the use of light colors, which can give the illusion of space and expansiveness. To better achieve a sense of greater space, light colors should be incorporated into your choice of wall paint, flooring, and furniture. However, this does not mean that your color options are limited to the color white, but rather pick lighter hues for whatever color you feel fits your home the most.

Carefully Pick Furniture

Of course, one trick of tying an apartment together is the choice of furniture, and in your case, this can be even more pressing. The first thing to consider when picking furniture is size. You do not want your house to look cramped, which can be very easy with the size of the apartment. However, the folks at https://tinyhousehugeideas.com/ discuss how you compromise on furniture size does not have to mean that it looks ugly. You will find plenty of furniture options to fit your needs. When picking out your furniture, you also want to make sure that it keeps a low profile but provides open leg work at the bottom. Furniture with these properties will leave plenty of space above and below them, therefore creating the illusion of space you are looking for.

Mirrors & Lighting

A great way to create the illusion of more space is to strategically place mirrors and artificial lighting. The need for mirrors may perhaps be an obvious one: mirrors reflect light and the view, creating the sense of more space where there is not any. Placing mirrors in areas that are tucked away will make it seem like there is a whole other space on the other side of it. As for the issue of lighting, you probably already have access to windows, which let in natural light, and your own choices of lamps and ceiling fixtures. So where is the problem? The problem is that very often you will find that the corners of the room appear dark, which will make it seem smaller. To counteract this, strategically place spotlights in the corners of your room to make it seem bigger than it actually is.

Emphasize Movement

When dealing with a small room, you want to emphasize space, and one way to do this is by utilizing movement and direction. Depending on your spatial priorities, pick a direction in which you want to make the room seem bigger, whether horizontal or vertical. For vertical emphasis, you may opt to incorporate one tall element, such as a bookshelf or a lamp, which would draw the eyes upward and make the room seem taller. 

For horizontal emphasis, you will want to place elements in such a way that draws a horizontal movement of the eyes, to again provide the feeling of openness. How you emphasize space in your room comes down to how you place your furniture and the different elements within it. Make sure that there is space in between the furniture for it to breathe, even though you might want to push it all against the wall to maximize space. However, ensure that by doing so you do not compromise on the space needed to move freely within the room.

Keep it Simple

At the end of the day, you need to accept the fact that you are trying to make the best of a small space. This means that you should deal with it proportionally. The more elements and items you have to move around, the more cramped space will feel no matter what you do. Avoid making your rooms look too busy, and rather employ minimalism as a way to make them look elegant, yet achieve the feeling of spaciousness you desire.

Managing a small apartment can be very challenging as you attempt to achieve the desired look and feel of every single room, but it is not impossible. You need to be patient with yourself as you go about editing and re-editing placement, color schemes, and furniture. By following the tips provided above, you can be certain that your small apartment will look bigger.