Some interior design issues aren’t exclusive to the rich and famous. Whether you’re in a small studio apartment or a million-dollar mansion, you probably wish you had more space in your home. But if upsizing isn’t an option right now, you’ll probably want to make your existing home at least feel more spacious and what room is more important than the one you spend the majority of your spare time in?
Here are five ways to make your living room feel more spacious.
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Keep things minimalist
The trend of minimalism has swept every area of our lives in recent times. From tech to fashion, it appears that less is more, and things don’t seem to be changing.
Fortunately, if you’re trying to make your living room feel more spacious, creating a minimalist vibe kills two birds with one stone. You’ll have the benefit of a less cluttered living space whilst also creating a modern, stylish vibe in your home.
The easiest way to create a clean, minimalist look in your living room is by removing everything that isn’t necessary. You’ll still need a sofa to sit on, possibly a coffee table to place your decorative ornaments on and a lamp for those cozy, winter nights. But anything that isn’t serving a key function can go.
This could mean ditching the television stand in favor of a wall-mounted TV, removing the stylish armchair in the corner that serves for style over substance, and saying goodbye to your wisdom-filled bookcase that takes up valuable space.
Mirrors
One of the oldest design tricks in the book is mirrors. When used correctly, mirrors create an illusion of extra space, so how should you use them and where should you place your mirrors?
Adding tall wall mirrors will elongate your walls, exaggerating their height and making your whole room feel more spacious. Group mirrors together if you want to have a bit more freedom to play around with the placement of your mirrors.
But also consider how mirrors can be incorporated into other items in your living room. Mirrored furniture is considered sleek and modern, and it can look great while also expanding the look of your room. A mirrored coffee table will take up physical space, but this can be canceled out by the illusion and light created by the reflection.
Scale your furnishings
When decorating your home, it can be tempting to go out in search of the biggest. The biggest sofa, the biggest television, and the biggest chandelier. While this might impress your guests, having a sofa take up 75% of your living room will do you no favors if you’re trying to maximize space.
This is especially important for those living in small flats or studio apartments where space is at a premium. If you’re creating a small but spacious living area, consider opting for sofas that don’t exceed two-thirds of the wall they are placed in front of.
The same goes for TVs. To work out your recommended TV screen size, consider that experts recommend you sit 1.5-2.5 times the size of your television’s screen away from your TV. This should give you some general guidance on what type of TVs you should be looking at.
Combine furniture
Combine furniture where possible to use space more wisely. The best way to do this is by adding a corner sofa to your living room. Corner sofas aren’t just the best place to spend a lazy Sunday in a pair of comfy utility trousers, they’re a great way to use space on multiple walls too.
They also work to create a more open room, especially when placed across two walls in smaller rooms. If you have the luxury of a larger living room, corner sofas can be used to section off space and create two separate spaces in one. This invisible divide is often used when living and dining spaces are shared.
However, ensure you’re still adhering to our previous tip of scaling your furniture to your room. A corner sofa taking up the majority of your room will have the opposite effect and leave you with a cluttered-looking living space.
Continuous flooring
If you are working with an open-plan kitchen living room, ensure you’re not using different flooring and creating a divide. Using the same flooring throughout can create a flow throughout the room which will lead visitors to see one large space rather than two smaller spaces.
This is also a good trick to remember if you’re in a smaller home. Using continuous flooring from a hallway into a living room can create this flow throughout the whole home rather than limiting it to one room.
In terms of the actual flooring, large tiles or wide planks are the most effective way to make a room feel bigger through flooring choice. And for some reason, installing the floor diagonally is believed to make a space appear more spacious.
