Style Council – Pauline’s tips to make a small room BIG!!

Hi Folks, Sorry for not getting “on air” to speak this week.  However, Cameron gave all my info out so I hope it was helpful.  I will recap here.

Lots of people live in a small home or have a small room that they want to do something with but they are unsure on how to make the room functional but appear bigger.

Small isn’t bad though, a lot of people choose to downsize, but you can effect how that space looks.  For example if you have a room that you want to appear cozy then you use soft upholstery, dark warm tones and dramatic lighting.  That does the job.

If however you want to make the small room appear larger, there are some tricks of the trade you can employ.

One technique that costs nothing is to get rid of the clutter. Clutter brings the walls closer together. Use shelves, tidy up or take the clutter to another room.

Now, furniture and accessories, we all like them but if they block the natural passage of a room then it can look cramped. You need to  open up the space.

For colour tones on the walls and floor remember what I said a fortnight ago, use soft light tones. NO to magnolia but use colour to convey the feel of openness and airiness. Soft blues and greens can be very effective as can a monochrome look.

While I give that advice, you do have to choose colours in the same family. So you need to think upholstery, walls, curtains and perhaps tables or ornaments.  What colours work. Remember that matching colours look less obstructive.

 Light is important, no matter how small a room is, get the light in.  Natural light is best. 

But what if the room in question is a bathroom?  You can avoid colour to increase the illusion of space. A clear shower screen will make more space appear.  The three feet of space from shower screen to tiled wall can be shown, thus adding three feet to the room.

For any small room though, mirrors are great.  The make rooms look larger, especially if you use a large wall mirror. 

Let us for a minute go back to furniture, if you use few larger pieces of furniture, you get a less cluttered look than more smaller piece

With that furniture, let’s say a sofa or sofa bed.  Keep the fabric as plain as you can. A busy pattern gives that crowded appearance.  Now you might think “but that’s boring”.  That is where texture comes in.  Texture makes all the difference.

As a final point for curtains, remember sheer fabrics, it works in the same way as the clear screen in the bathroom and mirror on the wall. It allows light to pass through.

That’s it from me for now.  Back in a fortnight!

Pauline xx