Lighter colors such as whites, creams, and light grays can help a room feel more open and spacious. Darker colors tend to make a room feel smaller and more enclosed.
Opt for a calming neutral shade
'A light-toned sofa in neutral colors, such as beige, cream, light gray, or white, can create a sense of openness in any room. These soft hues reflect the natural and artificial light that enters the room, making the space look brighter, airier, and more spacious.
Light-colored furniture can help a small room feel bigger and more airy because it doesn't stand out in the way that dark furniture does. It brings more light into the space. But furniture in light tones may not work as well in a large room, because the space may feel too open.
Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms.
White furniture and white walls both make your room appear larger. Although too much white without adding other colors can make the general aesthetic appear stale, the importance of the color white in expanding the feel of the room is undeniable.
'Many choose to use bright white in smaller spaces assuming white will make the room appear larger, however light neutrals and soft colors used in a tonal scheme will have the same effect whilst not appearing too stark or cold,' adds Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.
Pale Blues
When paired with other light colors, like pale pink and white, it sets a calming tone to any room. This is one color that can definitely make a room feel bigger.
Gray can make a room look bigger. A light gray can be a great pick in place of white; it will reflect natural light, but it looks less architectural and cool than white, which you might prefer.
Add reflective surfaces
Yes, you know that mirrors make a space appear larger. (“It's like doubling a room,” Curtis says.) But other reflective surfaces — high-gloss painted ceilings, lacquered furniture, shiny tile on a kitchen backsplash — have a similar effect, casting light and creating the illusion of volume.
Warm colours are advancing colours and just like dark colours, they will make walls seem closer than they actually are – making your room feel cosier and smaller.
This is really down to two things - your own personal preference and the size of your room. In general, lighter walls and darker sofas work best for smaller rooms. If your space is bigger or lit very well, go for darker walls and lighter furniture.
Empty rooms actually look smaller than furnished ones (even we have to measure up sometimes after all these years to make sure our chosen items will fit). Carefully selected furniture gives buyers a measurement of scale to compare their items to – “my dining table is bigger than this one but I can see it will fit”.
You can add bold and bright accessories like cushions, lamps and trimmings to add character and style. It's an old trick, but one that does work. Using large mirrors across wall surfaces helps to reflect light, especially when angled towards focal points or near a window to generate more natural light.
Lighter colors such as whites, creams, and light grays can help a room feel more open and spacious. Darker colors tend to make a room feel smaller and more enclosed.
Having some matching furniture is not a bad thing. But you probably don't want your loveseat, couch, coffee table, and side table to all match. Some of them can match to keep a cohesive look, but if everything is the exact same…you're going to end up with a cookie-cutter look that lacks personality.
Slide 1: Too Much Furniture Makes Room Look Smaller
The fewer pieces of furniture you have cluttering your rooms, the more spacious your place will feel.
Another excellent way to make a room look bigger while eliminating clutter is with shelving units. Placed on either end of a window, you can even put a storage bench between them to create a window seat in a bedroom.
Cooler paint colours help walls to recede, making the room feel more spacious and light. Go for pale shades of grey and blue for maximum lightening effect. If it's warmth you're after, don't be afraid to use light terracotta or yellow paint colours – a sunny hue can brighten and warm a dark, dingy space.
Choose light colors
Making the exterior of your home a light color is the best way to make your home look larger, brighter, and more inviting. Light colors such as white, ivory, pale gray, and sage green reflect higher amounts of light than dark colors, tricking the eye into perceiving the home as larger than it is.
To sum up, there isn't a lot of scientific research behind how colour affects your mood. However, anecdotal evidence suggests it can affect your frame of mind and consequently your sleep. The best bedroom colours we'd recommend to make you happy are yellow, blue, green, and pastel shades such as lilac.
'Generally, the warm tones of yellow, and orange, warm lavenders and blues, such as periwinkle and warm red or warm pink are associated with happiness.
Stark White
Naturally, white is an obvious choice for making a room feel bigger. It's no secret that light colors make a room look larger, especially if the space is bathed in natural light. Eggshell or satin finishes will help reflect the light, creating the appearance of even more space.