Expanding horizons: how to visually make an apartment larger
Repairs cannot be completed. It can only be paused.
Lifehacker told you about. Remember the transforming apartment of Christian Schallert with an area of 24 sq. m.? And apartments, similar to a monastery cell, are only 15 square meters in size. m.?
If you also have a small apartment, this article is for you. Here are some tricks you can use to make your home look bigger.
Walls
Interior designers are magicians who can create optical illusions using color and light. We’ll talk about light later, but for now, three golden rules for working with color in small rooms:
- You can not use dark colors (black, brown, dark blue, etc.) - they "eat up" up to 40% of the space. The brighter the room, the larger it seems.
- Bright contrasts should be avoided: blue + orange, purple + yellow, etc. Such combinations enliven the interior, but make it visually smaller.
- Pure white is also bad. It is better to use cream, pastel shades (light green, sky blue, etc.). Cool colors give more space than warm ones.
You can also use photo wallpapers - on one wall, carefully choosing a pattern. Excellent solutions - a spacious lawn, a road that goes into the distance, a sunset on the sea.
As for the texture, embossed wallpapers and glitter wallpapers create a good play of light.
In addition, the visual illusion of space is created by zoning the room using a combination of different materials or wallpaper prints. Thanks to zoning, you can make several from one room. For example, separate the sleeping and working areas from each other. The main thing at the same time is to withstand the color scheme. Colors should be close to each other and harmoniously combined with each other.
Floor
The floor, like the walls, should be light. Parquet and laminate are recommended to be laid out diagonally or in a herringbone pattern - this will not only visually expand the space, but also hide the irregular geometry of the walls.
As for carpet and linoleum: it is better if they are plain or at least without large patterns. The same with carpets. Nothing pretentious and colorful. If you want to lay a carpet, then let it be light (to match the walls), plain or striped.
Ceiling
Needless to say, the ceilings in a small apartment should also be light? Ideally white. But, if you do not like pure white ceilings, remember the rule: the ceiling is 1-2 tones lighter than the walls.
Many separate the walls and ceiling with fillets and panels. But you should not do this if you want to visually raise the ceiling. It is better when the walls and ceiling are of the same color and are not separated from each other in any way.
In addition, shiny glossy ceilings add volume. A good option is hanging structures. But remember: their installation will require a few centimeters from the height of the room. If the ceiling is so low that you cannot sacrifice even a centimeter, then it is better to abandon stretch ceilings.
Doors and windows
Swing doors "eat up" a lot of space. The furnishing of the room depends on their location (you can’t put anything special next to the door). Interior designers in small apartments recommend installing sliding doors.
By the way, even such a trifle as door fittings can play a role in visually enlarging the room. Shiny handles and hinges reflect light and expand the space.
The visual perception of the size of the apartment also depends on the windows. Large windows visually increase the space, small ones compress it. The more natural light, the more spacious the house seems. Therefore, it is not necessary to install window frames with sashes and vents. Frame color should be light.
Curtains, especially massive, made of dense fabric, with lambrequins, create the effect of tightness. If you already hang curtains, then light, transparent (tulle, organza, etc.), slightly in the assembly.
There is another trick with curtains. Nail curtains and hang curtains not directly above the window, but under the ceiling. In this case, the curtains should be long - to the floor. This will create the illusion that the room is taller than it really is.
Light
As already mentioned, optical illusions in interior design are created using color and light. To visually expand the space, there should be a lot of light.
But this does not mean that you need to buy a huge chandelier with 16 bulbs and hang it in the center of the room. On the contrary, bulky lamps should be abandoned. Instead, it is better to use small LED bulbs around the perimeter of the room.
Don't forget about the walls: sconces give volume, and tall floor lamps emphasize vertical lines.
Furniture
The more objects in the room, the smaller it looks. Therefore, in the selection of furniture for a small apartment, the main principle is minimalism.
3 key tips:
- Review and throw out everything you don't need. Leave only the really necessary pieces of furniture.
- Use multifunctional furniture (transforming bed, sofa with drawers, etc.).
- Buy light furniture. Preferably in the tone of the walls.
An excellent solution is glass furniture (tables, cabinets with transparent inserts, etc.). It transmits light, which means it “creates” additional space.
It is better to choose upholstered furniture and cabinets on legs - they seem lighter and smaller.
Another life hack: if you want to visually raise the ceiling, equip a tall, but not wide cabinet or shelving along one of the walls - from the floor to the very top.
Wardrobe - floor to ceiling As for the arrangement of furniture, there is also a trick here. The placement of furniture along the walls is not always justified. Try to place large furniture in the background, and small furniture closer to the exit.
Mirrors and decor
Mirrors also cleverly deceive our eyes. A room with a mirror seems brighter and more spacious. Therefore, designers strongly recommend - more mirrors and more mirrors!
A large rectangular mirror or a mirrored cabinet surface looks good. In the first case, you should avoid massive frames and remember that a rectangular mirror, hung horizontally, expands the room, and lengthens it vertically.
As for other decorative elements, here, as with furniture, it is worth adhering to minimalism. Less items - more space.
You should not hang large pictures in solid frames on the walls - family photos (no larger than A4) look much better in a small room. You should not buy large figurines, floor vases and antiques. And remember: no arches, columns and stucco!
As you can see, even a modest-sized apartment can be turned into a "mansion" if you know how to outwit visual perception.
