When you’re spending a lot of time in your home – and, let’s be honest, we all are in 2020 – having a feeling of space is essential.
Spending long periods of time in a cramped, cluttered, stuffy area will take a toll on your mental and emotional well-being.
The good news is that even if moving is not on the table for you, there are a few easy steps you can take to make your home appear more spacious.
Invest in Smart Storage and Declutter
First, reduce clutter in your home. Science has shown that clutter in your living space negatively affects mental health, increasing stress and procrastination.
To get rid of clutter, you can invest in smart storage solutions to tuck your possessions out of sight and make the most of your living space. Hanging cupboards, bed frame drawers, fold-down desks and counters, floating shelves, and under-floor storage are just some of the options you have.
An alternative to adding more storage space is to get rid of things you no longer need. Going full-out Marie Kondo will help you reduce the cramped atmosphere of your home. Be ruthless in ridding yourself of old trinkets, furniture, and equipment. If necessary, hire a waste removal company to dispose of larger items.
Choose Low and Lithe Furniture
When picking furniture for your home, add a feeling of space by going for pieces that are lower to the ground, and lithe rather than solid.
Embrace mid-century modern or romantic-style pieces with a low profile. Opt for streamlined, soaring furniture that shows a little leg, rather than solid panels to the floor. This will aid you in creating a sense of openness. It will also let light travel more freely through your home.
Favour Light Colours and Breezy Fabrics
Light colours, like white, yellow, and pastel shades, bring an open, airy, and serene atmosphere to a room. White especially can have this effect thanks to this colour’s reflective quality.
Similarly, opt for breezy, lightweight fabrics such as linen, instead of heavy materials. They can help you boost a sense of airiness and add a feeling of movement to your atmosphere.
Strategise With Light and Reflective Surfaces
One of the most crucial aspects to increase a sense of space in your home is to make sure that sufficient light flows through the rooms.
Maximise natural light by removing any obstacles, from heavy curtains to hedges blocking the sun outside your windows.
Consider using high-sheen paint, and adding reflective surfaces wherever you can. Opt for glass or glossy ceramic tiles in your kitchen. Hang mirrors to add visual space and reflect light to every corner of your home.
Finally, carefully consider where to install artificial lights. Use multiple sources of light. Brighten up darker areas with accents such as shelf lighting and backlighting. Generally, try to direct the eye upward to create a vertical vision path. Sconces, torchiere lamps, tall floor lamps, and pendant lamps can help with this.
Clear Paths
If you look into a room and your view is blocked by furniture, it immediately generates a cramped feeling. Instead, make sure that there are clear paths to all the major points in your home – between doors, to your bed, through the kitchen, to your sofa.
Not only will this help you stop bumping into furniture. It will also level up your feeling of openness and space.