To make a small room look bigger, prioritize an open floor plan and maximize natural light. Stick to a light, monochromatic color scheme, utilize multi-functional furniture, and hang large mirrors to reflect light. Finally, draw the eye upward with vertical decor and keep the room free of clutter.
Decorating to make a room feel bigger relies on the principle of maximizing light, creating visual flow, and keeping floor space as open as possible. To achieve this, use light, neutral paint colors, hang oversized mirrors to reflect natural light, and incorporate furniture with exposed legs.
The 3-5-7 rule is a design principle that dictates grouping decorative objects, furniture, or art in odd numbers (specifically 3, 5, or 7). It breaks rigid, perfectly symmetrical pairings to create natural, eye-catching visual movement.
What's the “3-4-5” Rule for Decorating a Room? This designer-approved method is a super-simple recipe that calls for 3 patterns, 4 period styles, and 5 colors or textures within a room. Yes, it's a more maximalist-leaning strategy, but I'm good with that.
Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms.
Lighter paint colors—like crisp whites, soft creams, pale grays, and airy pastels—are your best choice for making a room look bigger. These hues maximize light reflection, making a space feel open and airy.
Cool gray is being replaced by "mushroom" neutrals (warm taupes and greys with subtle green or violet undertones), warm earthy khakis, and soft, natural sages.
The 70/30 rule suggests that 70% of a room should be dominated by a primary element, such as a color or furniture style, while the remaining 30% should be used for accent elements. This contrast creates visual interest and prevents the space from feeling monotonous.
Many followers of the Christian faith believe that the Twelfth Night (i.e. twelve days after Christmas) is when decorations should come down. Some believe keeping your decorations up after the Twelfth Night is bad luck.
To square up a room, measure from one corner diagonally to the other, then check the opposite diagonal. If the two diagonal measurements match exactly, your room is perfectly square. You can also verify 90-degree corners using the 3-4-5 geometric rule.
Here's what can make a home look cheap, according to designers:
In interior design, the three foundational elements of any successful space are often referred to as the Three F's: Floor Plan, Finishes, and Fixtures. These elements work together to ensure a space is functional, visually cohesive, and beautifully tailored to its purpose.
To decorate a room successfully and avoid costly mistakes, always work from the structure to the surfaces, moving from top to bottom. Follow this step-by-step order:
To make a small bedroom look bigger, choose light, bright, and airy colors like crisp white, pale gray, or soft pastels like sky blue and sage green. These shades reflect the most light and visually recede, creating the illusion of a larger, more open space.
Too many small pieces
Trying to incorporate too many pieces, no matter how small, into a compact living space is a big no-no according to interior designers as it will only result in a cluttered look. And that goes both for accessories and furniture.
To make your room beautiful, start by decluttering surfaces and deep-cleaning the space. Elevate the room's aesthetic by anchoring your furniture with a large area rug, upgrading your bedding with fluffy layers, and introducing warm, layered lighting. Finally, add personal touches like framed artwork and indoor plants.
In Jeremiah 10:1-4 the verses basically say not to cut down trees and decorate them as the heathens did to sum it up.
Medieval Tradition
The theory that it's bad luck to leave decorations up beyond Twelfth Night (around 6 January) is a modern take on the tradition, but doing so used to be normal practice in the medieval period.
Twelfth Night is a traditional Christian festival marking the final night of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Depending on the counting tradition, it falls on either January 5th (the eve of Epiphany) or January 6th. It is historically celebrated with feasting, wassailing, and special cakes.
Top 10 Decorating Mistakes to Avoid
Making your house look expensive doesn't require a designer budget; it's about curated details, intentional scale, and smart styling. The most impactful upgrades include: hanging curtains high and wide, utilizing layered ambient lighting, hiding clutter, adding architectural molding, and incorporating oversized artwork.
You do not need to decorate every wall in a room. Decorating 1 to 3 walls is generally recommended, leaving at least one wall bare. This provides "visual breathing room", creates an intentional focal point, and prevents the space from feeling cluttered or overwhelming.
To make a home look expensive, rely on sophisticated neutrals, earthy greens, or muted blues rather than stark whites or highly saturated brights. High-end spaces feel cohesive and intentional, using layered tones, natural materials, and high-quality finishes to create a calm, custom feel.
Avoid painting bedrooms in high-energy or intensely saturated colors like bright red, vibrant orange, or deep purple, as they can disrupt sleep and cause anxiety. Designers recommend steering clear of dark, gloomy shades like black or charcoal (especially in low light), as well as neon tones or cold, flat greys that make a room feel clinical.
Joanna Gaines’ favorite gray paint colors span from soft, silvery sage grays to moody charcoals. Her top picks offer timeless versatility that complements both modern and rustic spaces.