As a North Shore Real Estate Agent I don’t think that I have ever heard a buyer say ‘Oh I loved the small spaces of the home so I just had to buy it!’ It is no secret that small spaces can make buyers feel constricted and suffocated, not ideal emotions to feel towards their next home!

A feeling of spaciousness and flow are some of the most desirable factors for an incoming purchaser. Luckily there are ways that we can help to reduce the impact of a small space and give it the illusion of being bigger, let me share some of these tips with you now.

Colour Techniques

It’s no secret that light colours make a small space bigger and brighter, the lighter the paint the more reflective it is so it will give an illusion it is bigger.

Light and brightly coloured walls are more reflective to lighting making a space feel more open and larger.
In small rooms always paint your trims and framings a lighter colour, this make the wall appear to be further back and the room to be larger.

Furniture Arrangement

Furniture can take A LOT of space if you let it, here are some tips to help with making a small room appear bigger.

Ensure that you use correctly sized furnishings for the space in the room. If it’s only a small lounge don’t use a large sofa set, a more modern clean line looking set would be more advantageous (as pictured below). This also applies in the bedrooms, people generally will not notice the difference between a double and a queen size bed, but they will notice if the room feels cramped and small.

This lounge was quite a small space, so low sitting 2 seater couches were used to make the room appear more spacious. A glass coffee table was used so that it would not give any depth to the eye, and light colours have been used to make all the objects seem further away.

Never use dark furnishings in a small room, dark items come forward and seem bigger. If you cannot get hold of a light coloured couch get couch covers, they are cheap, quick and if done correctly will look good. In small bedrooms use light coloured bedding.

Using glass topped dining tables is good option for a small space, because you can see through it there is an optical illusion of space. Some people like to use extendable tables, but these can seem a little 1980’s so be careful here.

Make a small room seem bigger by place the furnishings against the wall, not on angles. When you place it on angles it cuts the room off. The more space that you can open up in the middle of the room the better.

Tall furniture will cast the eye to the ceiling and give it a height bearing, this can make the roof seem lower. In a larger room this is a great effect, but not in making a small room seem bigger

Never place furnishing in the natural walkway of the room or blocking windows. This only closes a room in a frustrates a buyer when they are walking around the property.

Remember the saying ‘Less is more’. A good rule of thumb is: the more floor space that you can see, the larger the room will feel.

Lighting

Lighting is a crucial element when making a small room seem bigger.

The more natural light that you can let in to the room, the better. Ensure that the windows are clean, curtains are opened right up (blinds raised!) and prune any trees that are close to the home and blocking natural light.

Pruning trees that are blocking natural light is not a costly expense but it will have a dramatic effect on the value of your home compared to the money that you spend.

If you do not have a lot of natural light, you can add some additional lighting make the room seem bigger. Ensure that you are using the right type of lighting, some lights will give a softer glow than others and some cast heavier shadows than others.

Clever use of a mirror can enhance both natural and artificial lighting, they reflect the light emitted further into the room and at different angles making it seem more light, airy and larger. They also work well positioned opposite a window with a view as it will reflect the view making it seem and feel like the room has more depth.

If your natural light is limited and there is the ability to add a window, sun tube or a skylight it would be a worthwhile investment.

Keep the Order

Keep your room tidy, organized and clutter free.

There’s nothing that makes a space feel cramped more than more stuff than you really need there, or if it not organised.

Think of a coffee table with magazines all over it with no order vs the same amount of magazines perfectly stacked or fanned out.

As with the furniture arrangement, less is more. If you don’t need it, or it doesn’t have a purpose, put it away out of sight!

Feature Point

Don’t cover your walls with a lot of pictures scattered all over the place, or have lots of ‘feature items’ through the room.
When preparing your room decide on one feature item or area that will draw the buyers eye. In some rooms you won’t need to worry so much, i.e. in the bedroom it is the bed, in the dining room it is the table.

In lounge areas you will normally need to create one, make it the star of the room! Arrange everything so that the eye is directed towards the feature.

There are many tips and ideas for making a small room seem bigger, if you are getting ready for sale and are looking for some personalised advice, give me a call for one of my free property presentation plans. In this I will give you step by step instructions on how to make your home appear larger and ultimately increase your sale price. You can call me on 021 85 84 83