Do you remember what hobbit houses look like? They are very small spaces — it seems there’s hardly even room to sit. Such an effect can unknowingly be created even in a huge apartment.
Did you recently buy an apartment? Or are you planning a renovation in the house where you already live? In any case, it’s important to approach the choice of wallpaper, sofa, and interior items wisely so that you want to return home and the environment pleases your eyes.
For example, color schemes and patterns on wallpaper can transform a space even before you arrange the furniture, not to mention what shade you decide to choose for the ceiling or baseboards.
Sara Partington has been working in interior design for ten years. She believes there are mistakes that make an apartment visually smaller, even though they seem quite harmless and even charming.
Here’s what the designer strongly recommends avoiding.
1. Small Rugs
Such rugs overload the space, drawing attention to themselves and making the room look visually smaller. This is especially noticeable when the rug clashes with the color scheme.
It’s better to lay a large rug on the floor that occupies almost all the space.
2. White Paint or Wallpaper
There may be a temptation to paint the walls white so that light reflects off them and makes the room brighter. However, dark colors can visually enlarge even a small space; the key is to stay within the color scheme.
If you still want light walls, opt for warm shades: beige, peach, lemon, vanilla.
3. Sofa Against the Wall
If your sofa is currently pushed up against the wall, Sara Partington recommends changing that. According to her, moving the furniture away from the wall and leaving free space behind it will make the room seem larger.
“I know you want to place the sofa against the wall to free up more space, but furniture needs room to maneuver. A small gap behind the sofa creates visual depth, making the room appear larger,” she explains.
4. Low-Hanging Curtains
If you have the opportunity to hang curtains all the way to the ceiling, definitely take advantage of this trick. Buy good quality thick curtains that reach the floor.
This way, you will visually "stretch" the space, making the room seem larger.
5. Miniature Plants and Accessories
You are furnishing the apartment for yourself, not for a Barbie doll. Small items clutter the room, creating a “Plyushkin effect,” making the room immediately seem small.
Want a flower? Let it be one, but in a large pot that you place on the floor next to the sofa or wardrobe.
6. Strictly Symmetrical Furniture Arrangement
No matter how much of a perfectionist you are, give up the idea that everything must be symmetrical. You don’t need to place armchairs on either side of the sofa, and in the kitchen, you can have just one wall cabinet without installing a matching one on the opposite wall.
Perfectly matching sides create a sense of unnaturalness in the room, while asymmetry evokes "visual interest and creates a feeling of a more lived-in space," says the designer.
7. Ignoring Textures
Pay more attention to textures than to colors. If your room seems boring to you, it might not be that you need more color. There’s a high chance you need different textures, whether it’s wallpaper or upholstery.
Combine fabrics and use natural materials like wood and stone to instantly create a sense of warmth and depth. This way, the apartment will become much cozier, and the space will seem to expand.
