By choosing larger planks and tiles, or having hardwood floors installed diagonally, you're on your way to making every room a “great room.” If you need help choosing a new type of flooring or desire a design professional's expertise for making your small space appear larger, we have just the resources you need.
Horizontal/Side to Side
If your room is more narrow, you might opt to run your flooring horizontally — making the space appear larger than it really is. Installing your flooring horizontally will draw the eye from side to side, creating a greater perception of space.
Regardless of the size of tile you choose to you, installing it diagonally will give your room a larger appearance. The third way of making your room look larger combines both techniques described above with relationship to size and layout.
Horizontal stripes/lines make the room feel wider, while vertical lines can make the space seem longer/taller. Accent pieces such as striped rugs can also help make spaces feel bigger.
Beware that paint holds the power to merely elongate a room, rather than make it feel bigger overall. 'Using a lighter shade on the end wall, furthest away from you as you enter the space, alongside darker walls either side create a sense of depth and work to elongate the room' says Ruth.
A good rule of thumb is to stick with two or, at the most, three types of floors for your whole house. For example, you could choose a type of large tile for high-traffic, high-spill areas like the kitchen, foyer and dining room. Then you could use smaller tile in the bathrooms.
There is no hard and fast rule about whether flooring should be the same direction throughout the house, as this will depend on your personal preferences and the specific layout of your home.
The ideal way to lay your flooring: room and light
As a general rule, make sure to lay your floor in the same direction as the main light source in a room and in the same line as the most frequently used entrance. If there are several doors and windows, then opt for the direction that's the easiest to install.
It is common to see the laminate or wood flooring boards running with the direction of the longest walls in a room. Think of hallway flooring for a good example. The length of the flooring board will more often than not, run with the length of the room.
Diagonal = big
Most commonly at a 45-degree angle, this will make your room a feast for the eyes. At as little as 10 degrees, diagonal flooring also helps tie a wall visually to one in another room, creating a unifying effect: talk about opening up a room!
Contrast is one of the core rules of any style or decor, so the easiest way to match furniture and floors is to go with dark furniture on light floors or light furniture on dark floors.
Light wood flooring has a versatile appearance that fits in well with many decors and styles. A light wood floor can really brighten a space, as well, giving it a fresh new look to the interior design.
Flooring Looks Lighter When Installed
Often, the small sample of flooring on a board looks darker than when it is installed. Once the flooring has been installed, it opens up in the room and looks lighter than what was chosen.
When learning how to install vinyl plank flooring with a glue down method, remember to start in the center of the room, rather than in the corners. Find the center of the room, then using your chalk and straightedge, strike a line.
Besides an aesthetically pleasing appearance, properly staggering vinyl plank flooring will reduce the risk of issues like warping or separation.
Most plank installations will require working backwards somewhere. Working backwards can be difficult and it can be easy, it really depends on the product you are using. Either way, I always try to start in an area that will help me avoid having to do so.
60-30-10 refers to the percentages of a given color used to decorate a living space. To simplify color choices, you'll use 60% of a dominant or primary color, 30% a secondary color, and 10% accent shade or color. The idea is to show you how to balance color in a room using your favorite colors.
Once you have your three colors, you need to distribute them according to the rule. The dominant color should cover the walls, the floor, and the large furniture pieces. The secondary color should cover the curtains, the rugs, the smaller furniture pieces, and some of the accessories.
Make Sure It's an Exact Match
There's nothing wrong with using the same flooring throughout your home. There's nothing wrong with using different floorings. But what you don't want to do is use two that are almost the same, but not quite.
What Colors Make a Room Look Bigger? “For a small space, nothing beats airy blues and crisp whites,” says Nivara Xaykao, Benjamin Moore color and design expert. “Blues recede, which can give the illusion of opening up a space,” she explains.
It is important to consider the right paint finishes when choosing colors to make a small room look bigger as Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore highlights. 'Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms.
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. It works best for internal rooms like bedrooms or baby rooms.