Fool the eye

We've all been in the situation, whether it be sitting in a restaurant, hotel foyer or even in someone else's house, of being fooled as to where the room starts and ends, as a direct result of mirror usage. Mirrors can have an instant effect on fooling the eye into thinking a room is much larger than it is. This is because they have the same reflective power that white or cream paint does, only intensified! Mirrors reflect light all around the room and do not just rely on natural light to have this effect. Artificial light can also be reflected by mirrors and so even in dark conditions your room will appear larger. In bedrooms, consider the use of full-length mirrors (or even mirrored doors on the façade of your wardrobe), which can often seem to double the size of the room. In living rooms, where full-length mirrors may not seem appropriate, do not worry. Mirrors of any size will have a similar effect, albeit to a slightly smaller extent. Not only will strategically placed mirrors have the effect of making your room seem bigger but can also act as interestingly coloured, original centre points in your room. An added tip is to place mirrors where they can reflect outdoors as well as indoors, as this maximises what can be reflected and creates a continuum of space.

This brings us to consideration of the importance of light in your room. The basic rule to keep in mind is that the more light there appears to be in the room, the larger it will seem. Add lamps (with lightly coloured lamp shades) around the room to increase the amount of artificial light and keep curtains drawn back fully during the day to maximise the amount of natural light permeating your room. Also, try to keep windows plain by avoiding patterning on them, to increase the amount of natural light able to enter your room. Skylights are another option to consider. They will boost the effect given already by a brightly painted ceiling but bear in mind that a skylight is obviously only a possibility in certain rooms in your house, so do not rely too heavily on this method.

Flooring

Use the same type of flooring throughout the space you wish to enlarge. Breaking the floor up with multiple rugs will have the effect of breaking up the space, rather than allowing a continual impression of clear space. If you choose to use wood flooring or tiling in a room, make sure you run the flooring on the diagonal. This will have the same effect that placing your furniture along the diagonal has, albeit magnified because of the multiple lines which will run diagonally (rather than just one).