Almost every house has a small room that they wish look bigger. Whether it’s the box bedroom, being used as a study or just a small living space, there are plenty of tips and tricks that can help you to make the room appear and feel larger than it is.
However, this doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag! A few cheap and easy décor tips will help make a small room bigger.
In this post, we’ve compiled nine of the easiest (and possibly the cheapest) ways to cheat your home into a bigger space.
1. Teaming light colours with patterns
It’s perfect science that light colours reflect light, and patterns draw the eye in. Paint walls in light, bright colours to make the ceiling appear higher and use patterns in accessories to add personality and make the room feel larger.
2. Stripes can work wonders!
The same rule applies to interiors as it does in fashion. Thin stripes give the appearance of stretching, vertical stripes will make a room appear taller and horizontal stripes will make a room look wider. Consider applying striped wallpaper to not only create an illusion of more space but also to create a simplistic feature wall.
3. Hang wall accessories higher
This décor tip is a quick fix for making a small room look bigger! Put wall hangings a couple of centimetres higher than you would usually expect to see them. This will create the illusion that the walls are ever so slightly taller than they actually are.
4. Use repeat patterns
Mural in image: Nouveau Reflection
Believe it or not, we’re going to suggest the opposite of painting walls and floors with a basic, light colour. Repeat patterns are another great illusion of making something look bigger than it actually is. If you’re going to create a feature wall, consider using it to make the room look larger by choosing a patterned wallpaper.
5. Frame the window
Consider styling to frame your window when moving on from your walls and floors. Patterned curtains can be a bad idea when trying to make a room look larger for two reasons. They can draw attention to the size of a small window, making the room appear smaller than it actually is – YIKES!
The second reason is that causing a break in the wall pattern can also make the wall look smaller. We don’t want to draw attention to the window; just accentuate it. To combat this, choose curtains that are a colour similar to your wall, or skip them altogether and use an alternative light-blocking method like blinds. Shutters, in particular, are totally on-trend!
6. Use dramatic wall murals to add depth and detail
Mural in photo: Into the Distance
Murals are a great way to make a wall appear larger and appear as if there is more ‘going on’ in a space than there really is. The best types of murals to use in this instance are 3D wall murals as they are great for creating depth.
Take the mural above. Not only do we love that it’s a black and white timeless wallpaper, but it’s simply mesmerising. We can’t help but feel drawn into it!
7. Large mirrors reflect a whole lot more beauty
Ok, this may be the most obvious tip, but that’s why we couldn’t miss it. A large mirror is an easy (and cheap) way to create the illusion of a bigger room. Hanging it on the wall will reflect the room and its light, making it instantly appear bigger.
8. Separate open plan spaces with rugs
Open-plan spaces are a great way of opening up small rooms. However, to ensure you don’t lose two rooms by making it into one room, use rugs to create separate areas in the room. Creating separate areas in the room will give the appearance of more space and functionality.
9. See through glass
This may be a little tricky if you have small children. Small room furnishings like coffee tables and end tables can look cluttered and chunky. Glass furniture is not only contemporary, but its transparency will make sure it takes up less space, providing it’s not over-styled.
We hope we’ve inspired you to make your small room look bigger! We’d love to hear your cheap and easy décor tips for extending your room in the comments box below. If you liked this blog post, you might want to read our post on making a bedroom look bigger.
Kenneth Robineson
24/07/2018Thanks for sharing this great article. This is very informative for me to choose wallpaper for my room. Keep up good work.
Kenneth Robineson
31/08/2018Amazing blog and wallpaper. I love wallpaper, nature wall murals wallpaper are amazing. Thanks for sharing this great blog. Good work.
Millie Hue
08/02/2019Thanks for helping me understand that the murals will be able to make your space look bigger than what they really are. I will suggest this to my sister so that she considers adding wall graphics in the flat that she will be living in. This is because it is quite small since she will be on her own by then, and she needs to live there to be closer to her workplace and minimize being late.
Darrien Hansen
09/02/2021I had no idea that adding striped wallpaper to your room can help make it appear more spacious while also adding a simplistic look to the area. Now that my wife and I have moved into a fixer-upper home this month, we would like to find some wallpaper for our narrow living room that will help us prevent the area from appearing too cluttered once we decorate it with leather furniture.
Amy @ Wallsauce
09/02/2021Hello Darrien. Thank you for your comment. Yes, a 3D wallpaper, such as a stripe or tunnel, will make a smaller room appear much larger. Why not take a look at our range of 3D murals for your small living room? See here - https://www.wallsauce.com/wall-murals-wallpaper/3d-wallpaper-murals
Eli Richardson
22/07/2021It's great that you talked about how to make a space look larger with design ideas. Recently, my sister mentioned she wants to re-decorate her home. My sister's house's a little tight, so I think your article might interest her. Thanks for the advice on how to add furniture pieces that make your space look bigger.
Amy @ Wallsauce
22/07/2021Hi Eli. Thank you for your comment. We wish your sister all the best for her house makeover!