Tips to help your small space live large

  • By Angie Hicks
  • Tuesday, October 14, 2014 3:41pm
  • Life

Feeling cramped but don’t want to move? There are many ways to make small seem spacious. Embracing a “less is more” mindset is even trendy, with micro homes attracting macro interest on social media and on TV.

Granted, your home is likely larger than a true “tiny house,” which tends to max out at 400 square feet. But plenty of homes are less than 2,598 square feet, the average size for houses built in 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Here are tips from top-rated interior designers, home stagers and real estate agents for how to make the most of small rooms:

Pick your palette: Consider neutral or light paint colors, which reflect light and can make a room appear larger. Using one main color alone or in a variety of shades can create a sense of serenity. If you introduce a secondary color, do so in small splashes.

Create a focal point: Keep color, pattern and materials simple, but introduce one bold or special element, such as an elaborate mirror, artwork or pendant light fixture. Another way to draw the eye is to paint one wall in an otherwise neutral room a bold or dark tone.

Keep it simple: Choose items with simple lines and shapes. Reduce visual clutter with a few larger pieces of furniture rather than multiple small items. You don’t have to stick with the typical sofa and loveseat arrangement. Consider pairing a small couch or loveseat with one or two chairs.

Clear the clutter: Remove excess items from any small room, including accessories that contribute to visual clutter. Avoid small artwork and décor items; larger pieces can make a space feel larger and make more of a statement.

Let there be light: Brighter spaces appear larger than dim ones. Uncover windows. Don’t block views to windows and doors; the farther you can see into a space, the larger and more open it seems.

Recessed lighting and sconces can be a space-saving way to shed light. In some cases, recessed lights may negate the need for end tables and lamps. Other lighting options include accent, track or under-cabinet fixtures.

Reflect on this: A large mirror — or gallery of smaller ones — along the longest wall of a room can make it seem wider. Other space-enhancing ideas: two mirrors across from each other, a mirror across from a window, an oversized framed mirror leaning against a wall.

Carve out space: Consider furniture that serves multiple functions. A headboard can double as a bookshelf. An ottoman can provide hidden storage and work as a coffee table.

Add storage by recessing shelving into a wall, or extending bookshelves to the ceiling. To create the illusion of more space, paint the inside of shelves a deeper shade than the wall color.

Boost your bathroom: One of the best ways to make a bathroom seem more spacious is to trade a traditional cabinet vanity for a pedestal sink. Install a medicine cabinet for storage. If you keep a cabinet, consider one with legs or open shelves. Another tip: Swap your shower curtain for a glass door or, more affordably, a clear curtain.

Angie Hicks is the founder of Angie’s List, www.angieslist.com, a resource for consumer reviews.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Inside Elle Marie Hair Studio in Smokey Point. (Provided by Acacia Delzer)
The best hair salon in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.