Seven decorating tips to visually enlarge a small space

Have a small room to decorate? Make sure it doesn’t turn out stuffy or cramped by following these seven space-faking design tips.

1. Keep it subtle. Light-coloured flooring is perfect to make a room look bigger. Avoid carpet, however, as it tends to have the opposite effect. Choose wide tiles or long floorboards and install them diagonally to make walls appear further apart. Use the same flooring throughout your home for a cohesive finish.

2. Choose shiny surfaces. Lustrous tiles, shiny ceilings and metallic wallpapers all reflect light and do a great job making a room look bigger.

3. Play with perspective. A mirror placed next to a window tricks the eye into seeing a bigger space while boosting the room’s lighting. A nice mural featuring a vanishing point is another clever way to create the illusion of space.

4. Sheer and airy wins the race. Dress your windows with light, airy textiles to keep visual bulk to a minimum.

5. Light it up. Make sure every nook and cranny gets enough light by including lots of decorative lamps and spotlights in your decor. Nothing beats brightness when it comes to making a space appear larger!

6. Don’t overdo it. Keep the design minimal and functional by incorporating plenty of storage and choosing furniture that’s transparent or serves more than one purpose.

7. Keep a pale, cool palette. Painting walls in pale, cooler hues makes rooms appear larger than they actually are.