2008 Holiday Gift Guide
a discovery company

Make a Small Space Look Bigger in Seven Steps

Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA

Jasmin Malik Chua

By Jasmin Malik Chua
Jersey City, NJ, USA | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 EDT 2008

If square footage is at a premium where you live, you can still make the most of your living space-and learn to live with less-so you don't feel like you're squatting in a glorified closet. Here are some tips from the authors of The Nest Newlywed Handbook (2006, Clarkson Potter) on how to make design work for you:

1. Choose one paint color: Paint the walls, trim, and detailing in different shades of color. It will make the space seem more open and diminish edges.

2. Hang mirrors: A collection of mirrors will open up your home. Even mirrors with surface imperfections can give a room great atmosphere.3. Get perspective: You can trick your eyes into thinking your living room has depth by hanging pictures of expansive landscapes with vanishing perspectives.

4. Think big: It's easy to think you should decorate for scale-but a few large pieces will work much better than lots of small, cluttering ones.

5. Space out: Trying to save space by shoving furniture against the walls? Stop. When it's placed at an angle or surrounded by nothing at all, furniture has room to breathe, which makes your entire space feel less crowded.

6. Multitask your furniture: Invest in pieces that do more than one thing, such as an ottoman with built-in storage for stowing magazines and books.

7. Use glass: Glass-topped tables and glass shelves take up less visual space than dark, opaque pieces. Since you'll need to be neater under a glass coffee table, the surface does double duty.

2006 © Clarkson Potter

Difficulty level: Easy

 
  • email
  • digg
  • share
  • print
helpful article? vote for it
{ }
close window

CLOSE X

 

comments on this article

view all post a comment

 
 
 
 
 

how to go green

View All

Votes

How to Go Green: Home Electronics
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Home Buying
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Home Heating
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Electricity
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Rental Properties
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Weddings
  COMMENTS

{}

 
Greensburg image
 

tv schedule

view all

On Now

On Tonight

 
Channel Finder Planet Green
 

buying guides

View All

Votes

Buy Green: East Coast Beer
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Thanksgiving Turkey
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Desktop Computers
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Laptop and Notebook Computers
  COMMENTS

{}

 

today on planet green

view all

Votes

recent
discussed

Throw a Green Cookie Exchange Party
POSTED  3 Dec 2008.  COMMENTS

{ }

World's Greenest Homes Episode: Eco Manor
POSTED  9 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Emeril Green Episode: A Meal to Remember
POSTED  10 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Stuff Happens: No Butts for Mother Nature (Video)
POSTED  11 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

How to Go Green: Cocktails
POSTED  11 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Go Paperless for Thanksgiving Dinner
POSTED  25 Nov 2008. 4 COMMENTS.

{2}

Buy Green: East Coast Beer
POSTED  18 Nov 2008. 3 COMMENTS.

{3}

World's Greenest Homes Episode: Chicago House
POSTED  25 Nov 2008. 9 COMMENTS.

{13}

Pass Up Fast Food on Road Trips
POSTED  24 Nov 2008. 3 COMMENTS.

{3}

Replace Risky Hot Dogs with Grass-Fed Franks
POSTED  19 Nov 2008. 2 COMMENTS.

{5}

 
 
 

Ads by Google