If there’s one room in the home that has many purposes it’s the living room. It’s home to the Christmas tree, toys, pets, the sofa, most likely the telly – and where visitors will sit and talk for hours.

It’s a multi-purpose room and because of that, tends to be a room packed with storage, furniture and people. It’s a lot!

Even a well-sized living room can feel small if there’s a lot in it; and, who doesn’t want a room to feel bigger? Living rooms need to keep their cosy feeling, and you can do just that.

The following tips will help you make your living room look bigger and more spacious without compromising on the cosy feeling.

Sizing

You may assume that if you have a smaller living room, you should only have small furniture. The issue is that the small furniture will actually make the room feel smaller. Due to the proportions of things like the sofa and the storage, the room looks smaller.

Opting for lots of smaller items might actually make the room feel more cluttered rather than well put together and in proportion. So what’s the solution?

Well, it’s choosing some slightly larger items like a large sofa – but in the same colour palette as the rest of the room. The similarity in the colours means that the sofa – while large – won’t dominate the room and feel too sizable.

If you choose to have a large sofa, keep the rest of the room well-proportioned so it doesn’t feel overbearing. Keep in mind that chunky cushions will make the room look smaller, but a couch with sleek seating will look more well-proportioned, even when the same size.

Flooring

While many people love to have a carpeted floor because it can feel cosy underfoot, vinyl floor tiles that look like wood can make a huge impact. They make the room look more prominent and are typically easier to clean.

Instead of carpeting the whole room, find a rug that works with the dimensions of your room and use that as the little bit of underfoot cosy – or just as an eye-catching feature.

Matching the rug to your other room textiles like curtains sofa and cushions can give the room a great feeling of cohesiveness too. A simple and impactful change that can even help with the upkeep of the room.

Walls

In general, and for no real reason, we push our furniture against the walls. However, flipping through an interior design magazine or inspirational photos, you’ll notice that the furniture is often placed away from the walls.

There’s a belief that putting your furniture against the wall creates more space in the middle of the room. But that big space in the middle isn’t doing what we think. Instead, move things a few inches away from the wall.

Those extra inches give the impression of more space in the room and give the effect of airiness, making the room feel bigger. Try moving some of the items away from the wall and see which pieces of furniture create the most impact.

Another note on the walls is that they’re primed and ready to be more than a backdrop to the rest of the room. You can add large statement pieces and use strategically placed mirrors to make the room feel instantly larger and brighter.

Hanging plants with long tendrils can give some vertical length to the wall, or taller plants can bring the eye up and increase how high the walls appear.

Legs

Any furniture which has legs allows us to see the floor beneath it. This ultimately means the room feels more significant, and the floor space remains obvious and on show. So if you’re considering new furniture, opt for styles on legs and allow for some of the ground below to be viewed.

Light

Natural light is one of the best ways to make a room feel larger. Use it to light up all of the darker corners. If there are places that the natural light doesn’t hit, take note and illuminate those using table or floor lamps.

Ceiling pendant lighting, while functional, can often detract from the spaciousness you’re trying to achieve. All of the areas left in the shadows will give the impression of a smaller room.

Ghosts

The idea ofintroducing ghosts to your living room might not be the most welcome. However, ghost furniture is clear; and transparent furniture like Perspex or safety glass will allow light, and eyes, to travel around the room with ease.

Clear furniture doesn’t take up any real visual space and can help you achieve your goal of a larger living room.

Are you on the quest to find your perfect living room? Check out: 4 steps to creating the perfect living room – H is for Home Harbinger.

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