​Secrets an interior designer won't tell you for free

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
kate apt, labzona labzona Eclectic style bedroom
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When it comes to styling up a home, a lot of people opt for professional interior designers. And why shouldn’t they? Expert designers know all the juicy tips when it comes to combining colours, picking fabrics and deciding which style best matches your personal taste.

However, they also know how to trick the eye into making a smaller room seem bigger – and that is without actually adding more legroom to the space. But luckily for you, so do we – and we don’t mind sharing.

So, before you phone up a designer for the particular purpose of sizing up that one room, scroll down first…

​1. A mirrored wall adds visual space

It’s not always possible to break out a wall if a room (whether it’s the hallway or the living room) is rather tiny. But adding a full-length mirror to the one wall immediately doubles up on visual space, meaning that wall can stay where it is!

2. Pale floors will make the room seem bigger

Another small room, another tried-and-tested way to make it feel bigger. Lighter colours for your floor can go a long way in making that room seem (and feel) more open. Plus it allows incoming light to bounce off those lighter surfaces. 

So, ditch the dark tones and opt for pale timber, light carpet or even a softly hued tiled surface.

3. Creative colouring can help a space feel larger

You don’t need to paint every single wall white to make that room feel bigger. Opt for light neutrals for the majority of the wall spaces, but then surprise everyone with a focal wall flaunting a pop of colour.

However, the wall you choose to highlight should ideally be the space that draws your eyes upon entering the room, such as the one opposite the entrance or the one that flaunts an eye-catching architectural feature, like a fireplace.

4. Watch those stripes

Stuck with a low ceiling? Opt for wallpaper with vertical stripes that draws the eye upwards – or paint them yourself. This will force everyone to take in the vertical space of the room, which will make it seem higher than it actually is.

5. Touches of nature

Apart from tearing down a wall or adding indoor plants, how else can we add elements of nature to an indoor space? Via artistic touches, of course. 

Whether you opt for a bull-blown wall mural depicting a landscape, or choose subtle wall decals like in our example above, having a room show off natural features (in soft and natural colours, of course) goes a long way in stimulating our senses and visualising exteriors.

6. Be clever with your wallpaper

This one goes hand in hand with our previous tip on a wall mural – selecting wallpaper that depicts another area or space, whether it’s a landscape or an extra room. 

Take a look at our example above: even though we know it’s a wallpapered wall behind the sofa, the image of the enhanced space decreases the cramped-in feeling that one can get from a smaller room. 

Who knew wallpaper could do more than look pretty? For more inspiration, see these: 15 spectacular wallpaper designs to transform your home.

What other tricks can add more visual space to a room?

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