REMODELLING
By removing the wall between hallway and living room, the entire space instantly feels bigger and brighter. In this project, designed by Mae House Design and undertaken by Mac Building Solutions, a glazed partition wall provides a subtle division between the entrance and living space. goes just halfway across a space can act more as a divide, while a room divider that doubles up as a storage unit can turn a corner or one end of a room into a flexible new space — perhaps a playroom or study, or even a reading nook.
“Zoning a space with a brokenplan layout can help create a sense of space as you can see right through, but this approach still retains useful walls or spaces for storage, such as banquette seating, bookshelves, and internal windows with wall space below that you can have storage against,” says Jo Dyson of Mae House Design.
The style of furniture you choose, as well as the way in which you position it can have a big impact, both visually and physically on the space available.
Consider proportion. Simple furniture, and pieces that are lower to the ground make a room feel larger than bulky items.
While it can be tempting to push all your furniture up against the walls in order to gain maximum space in the middle of it all, this can actually have the opposite effect. “Remove items around four walls and only use two, bringing items of furniture into the centre of the room instead,” advises Alex Main, Director at The Main Company.
Arranging furniture in this way can create separate little zones within a room, or pathways that direct people through or around the room.
A NEW PURPOSE
Swapping small windows for large, full-height windows and doors can have a huge effect on the sense of space in a home.
“A fantastic way to add space into your home without having to extend is to replace one or two large external walls with virtually frameless bifold or sliding doors,” says Tyan Schofield, MD at Thames Valley Window Company. “This will dramatically increase the amount of light in your home, which will add brightness and create an illusion of space and openness. This specifically works well in communal areas such as the kitchen or living room where the transition between indoor and outdoor living can be seamless.”
Bringing in light from above can also increase the feeling of space in your home.
“Consider installing rooflights or a roof lantern and, if you are able, think about removing the flat ceiling and creating an angled, vaulted ceiling,” suggests architect Dan Stewart. “The additional light will create an uplifting sense of space and the indirect sunlight creates a much better working environment for home offices.”