Home & Lifestyle 2 April, 2020

5 Tricks to Make Your Small Space Look Bigger

While you may lament your lack of space, a small room has plenty of perks – they're easier to keep clean, quicker to decorate and can provide a cosy aesthetic to your home. But if you're looking to make the most of your space and maximise the area you have, there's a whole host of hacks to help you on your way. From drawing the eye to using what you have to your advantage, there is a myriad of clever styling tricks to transform your home.

And the best news? You don't have to spend a fortune or move house to achieve the look you want. At Westfield London's Home Quarter, we have every styling solution you can think of to give your home a spacious overhaul.

OPT FOR CHAIRS AND SOFAS WITH LOOKS

Elevating your furniture off of the floor gives the illusion of more space as the more floor you can see, the bigger the room seems. It also allows more light to flood any dark or shadowy areas which is key to maximising your square meterage.

Osaka Chair, £1089 BoConcept

Icaro Sofa, Price on Request Natuzzi

LIGHTEN UP YOUR COLOUR SCHEME

It's time to get acquainted with the various different shades of white if you're looking to make your room feel larger than it really is. A light colour scheme will reflect any natural daylight beautifully, making your home appear calm and airy. Adopting a tonal colour scheme by matching your furniture to your walls is less jarring on the eye and will blend perfectly with the space.

Tasselled Cotton Rug, £69.99 H&M Home

Tasselled Blanket, £29.99 H&M Home

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL

Adding reflective surfaces to your home is a failsafe way to open out a space without spending a fortune. Whether it's a glass coffee table, a set of drawers or an ornate mirror on the wall, it will reflect the room and the light making it feel more spacious.

All Saints Mirror by Kartell, £272 Heal's

Unmilled Teak Mirror, £617 Raft

MULTI-FUNCTIONAL FURNITURE AS STORAGE

Clutter is a surefire way to bring a room in. Make sure your furniture works harder by opting for clever storage solutions to hide away any unsightly pieces such as ottomans or sofas with drawer options. While baskets are a stylish and on-trend option, the can quickly swallow up floor space so try hanging two from clothes hooks on the wall as an alternative.

Darley Storage Footstool, from £229 DFS

Harrington Ottoman Super King Bed, £1,449 Tempur

GO BIG

We know, it sounds contradictory but using a few large, unfussy pieces of furniture or accessories in place of several smaller pieces, which makes a small space look cluttered will open out the room. Think large scale paintings instead of a gallery wall in the same colour scheme as your furniture and watch as your room becomes twice the size.

Turning Away 70x100cm Print by Rafael Farias, £70 Habitat

Art Inspired by Music, £200 John Lewis and Partners

LIGHT THE WAY

Although natural light is always king, there are plenty of clever hacks you can use to make the most of artificial lighting in a smaller space. Combine ceiling lights and spotlights with wall lights, table lamps and floor lamps to fully illuminate a room and unearth any dark corners. Add hidden strip lights to shelving to the floor for a clever way to add extra light without taking up any space.

Ebony Table Lamp, £49 John Lewis and Partners

AIRY FABRICS

Channel those chic Mediterranean interiors we drool over on Instagram by swapping heavy velvets and tweeds, which weight a room down, for linen, cotton and silk. Whether it's a cosy tub chair or flowing curtains, not only do sheer fabrics look chic, they also allow light to pass through them, making a room look larger than it really is.

Wire Frame Slipper Chair, £299 West Elm

Richmond Linen Union Tub Chair, £575 The White Company