Have you ever stepped into someone’s home and felt it was dark and cramped even though it was large? It may have been that they weren’t using the right interior decor elements. Interior design has the power to transform a space. You can take a small room and create the illusion that it is much larger. Using simple techniques and strategies that often do not cost you that much money, you can make your home brighter, airier, and more spacious even when lacking in square footage. If you have recently bought a home and you have a smaller room that you’re hoping to visually expand, you will want to employ the simple tips outlined below to brighten your space.

Brighten Spaces With Strategic Lighting

Lighting is the first thing you need to consider when expanding a small space using interior design. If the room has windows and access to natural light, try to keep drapery light-coloured as you don’t want to cover up what light you do have. The brighter the room, the larger it will appear. You need to make sure you’re using table lamps, overhead lights, and floor lamps, even with windows.

If you notice a corner in the room that is a little darker, you can add a small table with a lamp. Similarly, your living room can always benefit from an arched floor lamp or a pendant chandelier-type light hanging over the coffee table. Using strategic lighting, you can create a pleasant ambience in the room that makes you feel more at home and pleasant. Ensure you are using warmer-toned bulbs, as bright white fluorescence will ruin any ambience you have tried to create. Small spaces without ample lighting can be dreary and make guests uncomfortable.

Paint Colour Goes A Long Way

Along with the proper lighting, you’re going to need to use the right paint. Paint has the power to reflect light if you use the right colour. Dark colours will absorb any available like that you have, so you should always opt for lighter colours. Off-white, beige, and light blues can be perfect for reflecting light. If you want more colour, you can always use lighter shades of a specific colour, but you should never go too dark for small spaces. You can save the darker colours for any bigger rooms you have in your home.

Depending on the current trends, the paint colour in your home will also affect resale plans. If you work with an interior designer, they can help you choose a perfect paint colour after assessing the natural light and your other design elements. Once you’ve chosen a colour, you can complement it by opting for light-coloured furniture and textiles in varying patterns and fabrics.

Area Rugs Make A Difference

Area rugs are instrumental in dividing a space. If you have one small room, you can create an illusion of more space using multiple area rugs. Similarly, you can use one large area rug to make the space more unified. By using an area rug as the foundation for the rest of your furniture, the space will look more put together, and the negative elements you may have noticed beforehand will disappear. When it comes to area rugs, you also need to think about the light, as mentioned above. While many people tend to choose darker rugs because they are nervous about staining lighter colours, they will be much more effective in brightening up the space. If you are worried about stains, you can opt for a stain-repellent rug, now widely available. If you have light-coloured floors, you can choose a smaller area rug so that more of the floor is visible.

Choosing the right interior design elements is not easy, especially if you don’t have the experience. Getting help from an interior designer and a Realtor® can ensure you make the right choice, especially if you plan on selling in the near future.