A small living room can be just as appealing and as useful as a larger living room. After all, many people just line the walls with furniture and leave the center of the room open. The floor space is expansive, but it’s sometimes just wasted space anyway. Even still, a larger room is desirable, and having an open and sprawling living room is more appealing than a living room with the walls and ceiling closing in.
There are easy ways to make a small living space look big. In many cases, less is more, and this is the case when considering a small living room. The following decorating ideas provide easy ways to make a small living area look big. Any size room can be made to look larger with paint, lighting, window treatments, and sensible arranging.
Color Matters
Dark bold colors may be the latest decorating fad, but it’s not ideal for all rooms, especially a small living space. Dark colors make a room that’s already small look even smaller, and when the room is dark it feels as if the walls are closing in. Color really does matter when considering size, and it’s never wise to paint a small living room in dark or bold colors.
Instead of choosing dark colors, choose light colors that will open up and brighten a small living room. If you like color, by all means, accessorize with dark bold colors that include furniture throws, throw pillows, and coordinating wall décor. You’ll be amazed by how big a room looks when it’s light and bright, and even the smallest living room will look big if the colors are light, clean, and bright.
Lighting
A space painted a lighter color won’t look big at all if it doesn’t have adequate lighting. Consider upgrading ordinary light bulbs with energy-saving fluorescent alternatives. You’ll add far more light to the living room while using less power. Energy-saving light bulbs will cost more initially, but with the money saved and the amount of light they provide, they’ll pay for themselves in no time.
Furniture and Accessories
In small rooms, less is truly more when it comes to furniture and accessories. A living area crammed wall to wall with furniture, book shelves, end tables, and other furnishings doesn’t look adequate. Matter of fact, no matter how organized it is, it might even look cluttered.
Consider the amount of furniture you have in your living space, and if you really want your living area to look big, condense what you have. Get rid of a loveseat or an extra chair, and free up some of the wall space. A room doesn’t have to be lined all the way around with furnishings, and it looks much more open and big when it isn’t overdone.
Window Treatments
Drapery, blinds, or shades that block out too much light do nothing to increase the size of an area, and if you want your living room to look big, open your window treatments and let the light shine in. Dark heavy drapery encloses a space, but light flowing drapery helps it look larger than it really is.
Consider light-filtering roman shades or another type of window treatment that can be opened to allow in-direct sunlight. Switch your window treatments and you’ll be amazed by how much it changes the overall look of your living area. It’s an easy way to help make a small living room look big, and options are available in all price ranges, styles, and colors.
