The living room is unarguably the most frequently used room in the average home – after all, there’s a reason why it’s called the “LIVING” room. For a lot of people it’s the place they spend a lot of their down time, the place they spend time as a family, and some of the time it even replaces the dining room as the place where meals are shared and enjoyed. That being said, we could even agree that it’s in fact the most important room in the house. That being said, it’s undoubtedly the place where we need the most space – but what if we’re not lucky enough to have high ceilings and spacious floorspace? If this is the case, here is how to optimise the space you already have in your living room, and make it look bigger.
Start with a Light and Neutral Base
A piece of advice you’re likely to be given when selling your house fast, is to ensure the walls are painted a light and neutral colour – such as different shades of cream or stone. One of the reasons for this is because it provides potential buyers with a blank canvas, which enables them to picture their own décor and furniture in the space, without your own personal style infringing on their thoughts. The other, is because it optimises space – and space sells.
Light, bright walls are reflective, which means when you allow light into the space whether that be natural or artificial, the light bounces off them, and gives the appearance of a bigger and brighter room. Unlike light coloured walls, darkly painted walls will be likely to do the complete opposite, and absorb the light making the room look smaller and darker.
You could even try taking this a step further, and painting your wall trimmings an even lighter shade than the walls. This will help to expand the visual space in the room, and will make it look more open. The great thing about the neutral and light base, is with it you can afford to accessorise with colours and patterns, not to the detriment of the appearance of the size of the room.
Let the Light in
The more light you let into a space, the more light there is to reflect.
That being said, let the light into your living room! If you’re lucky enough to have a large window that faces the sun, get your curtains open and fill the room. Not only will it give the illusion of a bigger room, but it’ll also warm up the space, meaning even on a cold and bright day you won’t have to turn your heating up as high. Result.
If you’re not lucky enough to have big windows with wonderful views, then don’t panic, because there are ways you can give the room the same effect. Start off by investing in some good lighting, whether that be overhead or lamps. Likewise, jazz your window up with flowers and plants and perhaps even a new pair of light silk curtains. These small things make a big difference.
Get Rid of Clutter
In Japanese culture, the minimalist teaching of “one in, one out” is rife. Very simply put, minimalism is the simple act of not overcrowding your space with furniture and belongings in order to make the most of it. The rules of “one in, one out” are very simple. If you get a new piece of furniture, get rid of an old one. Simple.
You don’t have to literally practice the art of minimalism in order to cut the clutter from your space. The longer you live in a place, the more rubbish you’re likely to accumulate. If you’ve got things you don’t need or use lying around a room, they’re taking up unnecessary space, so in order to optimise the space you do have it’s important to have a thorough declutter. You’ll feel cleansed afterwards!
Cleverly Place Your Mirrors
The final and potentially most effective tool when it comes to optimising space, are mirrors.
When placed strategically, mirrors can entirely transform a space. Not only do they reflect the light, but the overall room itself, giving it the illusion sometimes of being double its actual size.
A top tip to follow, is placing your mirror near a window. It doesn’t matter if you have the best view in the world or not – the mirror will reflect the outdoors and make your living room feel more open and airy.