How to Make a Home Feel More Spacious
SUBMITTED BY Highline Residential on June 17, 2020
It doesn't matter if you're staging your home to sell, or you simply want to get the most out of your living space. It's easy to rework your existing set up to make your home feel more spacious.
The best part is, you don't need to spend a fortune on home remodeling projects to get that roomier feel. Here are a few tips to help your home feel more spacious with minimal effort.
Declutter
The first thing you should do is declutter your spaces. This should be done before you spend a penny on new decor or start looking at paint samples.
A cluttered space is synonymous with a cramped, uncomfortable, stressed-out feeling. Even naturally large spaces can come across as small when they're disheveled.
Go through your current belongings and do the following:
As a side note, you can also take advantage of this time to finally go through your closet and dig up any extra stuff you may want to liquidate.
Lighter is Better
It's no secret that darker colors make a space feel small. It's part of the reason that dusky greens and warm browns are so popular with the cozy hygge style.
If you're looking to make your home feel larger and more grand, however, you want to steer away from those darker hues and aim for something a bit lighter. Whites and light grays work particularly well in helping a space feel bright and spacious.
While you can focus on things like minor decor or area rugs, giving your rooms a fresh coat of light-colored paint can be the best way to dramatically increase the space-appeal of a home.
Double Up Aesthetics and Functionality
Once you have each space cleared, cleaned, and painted or decorated with a light color, you can begin to make more purposeful changes to open up each room. There are several ways that you can do this.
Mirrors are a powerful tool during this phase of the process. They can add a beautiful touch to the decor while simultaneously reflecting light (leading to a brighter feel) and naturally making a space feel more, well, spacious through their reflection.
Another option is to use plants. You can include living plants in your decor in a variety of unique ways. The greenery gives the appearance of a fresh, outdoor setting, which invokes larger, more roomy spaces.
In addition, you can always look for furniture that doubles as extra storage. Ottomans, chairs, and even sofas can have extra storage built right in, making them the perfect place to keep excess or rarely used items out of sight.
Maintain a Minimalist Mindset
Finally, once you've set up your space, it's important to maintain a minimalist mindset going forward.
Minimalism thrives on clear, decluttered spaces, and if kept up over time, it can serve as the perfect filter to limit bringing new items into your life. As you bring new things into your living space, make sure to ask if each item has a genuine purpose or at least brings you joy in some way or another.
Finding Space
From a fresh coat of paint and a mirror or two to a weekend of intensive decluttering, there are plenty of ways to increase the spaciousness of your house or apartment.
The benefits that this provides are legion. The updated space can increase the value and sellability of your home. The fresh, larger feel can also serve as a motivation to keep things clean. You've also created a clutter-free, open area that can help reduce stress and keep your mind at ease.
So before you sign off on that bank-breaking home remodel project, see what you can do with your existing space to make things feel bigger, neater, and more spacious, and all for pennies on the dollar.
The best part is, you don't need to spend a fortune on home remodeling projects to get that roomier feel. Here are a few tips to help your home feel more spacious with minimal effort.
Declutter
The first thing you should do is declutter your spaces. This should be done before you spend a penny on new decor or start looking at paint samples.
A cluttered space is synonymous with a cramped, uncomfortable, stressed-out feeling. Even naturally large spaces can come across as small when they're disheveled.
Go through your current belongings and do the following:
- Identify what is important and put it where it belongs.
- Identify what is garbage and either throw it away or recycle it.
- Identify what has value but just not for you, and either sell it online or donate it.
As a side note, you can also take advantage of this time to finally go through your closet and dig up any extra stuff you may want to liquidate.
Lighter is Better
It's no secret that darker colors make a space feel small. It's part of the reason that dusky greens and warm browns are so popular with the cozy hygge style.
If you're looking to make your home feel larger and more grand, however, you want to steer away from those darker hues and aim for something a bit lighter. Whites and light grays work particularly well in helping a space feel bright and spacious.
While you can focus on things like minor decor or area rugs, giving your rooms a fresh coat of light-colored paint can be the best way to dramatically increase the space-appeal of a home.
Double Up Aesthetics and Functionality
Once you have each space cleared, cleaned, and painted or decorated with a light color, you can begin to make more purposeful changes to open up each room. There are several ways that you can do this.
Mirrors are a powerful tool during this phase of the process. They can add a beautiful touch to the decor while simultaneously reflecting light (leading to a brighter feel) and naturally making a space feel more, well, spacious through their reflection.
Another option is to use plants. You can include living plants in your decor in a variety of unique ways. The greenery gives the appearance of a fresh, outdoor setting, which invokes larger, more roomy spaces.
In addition, you can always look for furniture that doubles as extra storage. Ottomans, chairs, and even sofas can have extra storage built right in, making them the perfect place to keep excess or rarely used items out of sight.
Maintain a Minimalist Mindset
Finally, once you've set up your space, it's important to maintain a minimalist mindset going forward.
Minimalism thrives on clear, decluttered spaces, and if kept up over time, it can serve as the perfect filter to limit bringing new items into your life. As you bring new things into your living space, make sure to ask if each item has a genuine purpose or at least brings you joy in some way or another.
Finding Space
From a fresh coat of paint and a mirror or two to a weekend of intensive decluttering, there are plenty of ways to increase the spaciousness of your house or apartment.
The benefits that this provides are legion. The updated space can increase the value and sellability of your home. The fresh, larger feel can also serve as a motivation to keep things clean. You've also created a clutter-free, open area that can help reduce stress and keep your mind at ease.
So before you sign off on that bank-breaking home remodel project, see what you can do with your existing space to make things feel bigger, neater, and more spacious, and all for pennies on the dollar.