How to Make a Living Room Look Bigger

Interior design is a wonderful opportunity to create a masterpiece, even with limited resources. One example is to make a small room look bigger visually. Of course, we cannot literally increase available space with the help of a magic wand. However, there are numerous simple but effective ways to make a living room look bigger.

Intrigued? Keep on reading this article to uncover suitable solutions to reorganize your living place with ease. Let’s dive into the details!

A living room in white colors designed in Live Home 3D

Maximize Space Efficiency

What do people usually do when they want to carry as much as possible? There are several options, but, in the majority of cases, people prefer clothes with several pockets, with some hidden as well. The idea is the same in the home design industry, but the realization may differ.

Homeowners who wish to achieve more out of less can purchase or make furniture with several compartments to minimize the need for tables, shelves, etc. In this way, you will reduce the number of items in the room, making it look more spacious, and you will use the resources you have as effectively as possible.

Hideaway dressing table in a light bedroom.

Get Rid of Hamster-Style Design

Another idea that comes to mind when you need to tackle a challenge of how to make a small room look bigger is to research your space. What things do you really need? Obviously, an abundance of pillows, chairs and flowers may contribute to a room’s coziness. However, when it comes to the visual side of the matter, they may easily steal your space and leave the impression of a tiny place.

Work on organizing your space neatly. For instance, you can store unnecessary things out of view. The main purpose is to stay minimalistic, leaving only those things that are useful and necessary in the living room.

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Mirrorland

How do you make a living room look bigger? Use oversized mirrors! It is not only a modern design trend but also a pretty simple way to create an illusion of enlarged space.

Mirrors will also contribute to the overall lightness of your room, making it look brighter and sunnier. This is a simple trick that will literally “add” an extra door or window to your room without any building requirements.

Look up There in the Sky

The same idea... but another perspective—add a mirror or other specular surface to your ceiling. This trick will add height to your living room, giving the illusion of more space. At the same time, you will have the added benefit of increasing the brightness of the surrounding space.

Glass Is Everywhere

Do you think there are only two solutions on how to use lucite or glass to visually enlarge your living room space? Take a look at transparent tables and consoles. They are no less efficient than their colorful counterparts, but they can provide an extra-sized impression for your room. Just don’t forget where you place the glass pieces!

Rationalism

Without a doubt, a living room is a space where a lot of people gather together. Therefore, design beginners usually prefer ergonomic and compact items to an overabundance of furniture pieces. A large couch, for example, will look gigantic in a tiny room, creating an impression that Gulliver visited Lilliput.

If you have oversized furniture, don’t place it in the middle of your living room. Positioning furniture near the walls can save you space and allow free movement without constant stumbling over tables or lamps. At the same time, don’t place a lot of items in front of windows and mirrors—allow them to perform their duties to the full extent.

Armless Furniture

Another well thought-out decision is to make wise furniture purchases for your living room. As we’ve already mentioned, hidden compartments are very effective tricks when it comes to how to make your living room look bigger. Another option is to choose armless chairs and sofas.

Such detail may leave completely different impressions depending on the environment. If you have a large space, then the use of armed furniture will add chic and an aristocratic flavor (other details should be chosen in a similar style). On the other hand, if your living room is small, this kind of furniture will look too boxy and bulky.

Choose Cool and Light Colors

Obviously, vivid colors will attract attention and contribute to a positive mood for your home’s inhabitants. For those who want a simple way to make a small living room look bigger, there is an easy tip—color choice is key.

Warm and dark paint shades add an intimate and cozy flavor to your room. At the same time, cool and light colors will contribute to the design’s airiness. Of course, you can combine this method with others on the list to achieve an even greater effect.

Smooth Textures

As an homage to fairy tale fans, to become taller, Alice in Wonderland ate one side of the mushroom, and to shrink she ate the other side. However, we won’t be so dramatic in interior home design—there are far simpler methods to achieve the same effect.

If you want to create the illusion of a larger space, avoid heavy fabrics. Smooth lines and light textures will promote light transmission. Choose voile, lace or muslin; transparent solutions are more beneficial. In contrast, dark and heavy curtains and furniture will make even a small place tinier.

Vertical Stripes

Vertical stripes will create a similar impression if applied to living room design. For instance, you may select a carpet with this type of print to visually enlarge the floor.

Fool Your Eyes

Let’s forget about perfection for a while. To get to know how to make a small living room look bigger, you just need to forget about a so-called proportion law. What do we mean by that? Just think of your space as if it has high ceilings!

Mount shelves in the top part of your walls or curtain rods a little higher from the place they should be—this trick will make an impression that your room is taller. Designs with bookshelves just near the ceiling are breathtaking, just check it out. Without any complicated constructions, you may create a sense of loftiness.

Final Words

It is a pretty challenging goal to create an impression of bigger out of smaller. However, it doesn’t have to be Mission Impossible. All you need is to be passionate and experiment with your living room design until you achieve the desired effect.

And, you can find home design apps like Live Home 3D to be a great help in your experiments!

Be creative, and good luck in realizing the design of your dreams!

Revised: February 2023

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