Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics 5 clever ways to make a small space look bigger Just because you live in a small place doesn't mean it has to look or feel cramped. Interior designers share creative strategies to create the illusion of space that work for renters and small budgets. Life Kit Tools To Help You Get It Together Health Money Parenting Dear Life Kit Life Skills Podcast Newsletter Twitter 5 clever design tricks to make a small home look bigger July 19, 20265:01 AM ET Andee Tagle
A few thoughtful design choices can make the tiniest spaces feel more comfortable. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
When I moved to New York City for journalism school, my room in my shared apartment was so small I could nearly touch the ends of each wall simultaneously with my arms outstretched.
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To make the room seem less cramped, I bought a tall, mirrored wardrobe. It not only provided storage for my stuff, but reflected much-needed light from the window. When you looked at the mirror at the right angle, it made my room look double the size.
That's just one of many clever ways to make a small room feel bigger. With smart planning and creative thinking, you can create a spacious, comfortable home for yourself without breaking the bank or making your landlord anxious, say interior designers.
The key is to make your furniture work harder for you, says Shamika Lynch, founder of the design firm Maximizing Tiny Interiors in New Jersey. "Every item in your home needs to serve a purpose. You don't have extra square footage [for things] that are just going to be decorative."
She and other interior designers share their favorite design tricks for small spaces.
Create more breathing room by taking furniture off the floor. Replace floor lamps with hanging light fixtures and find storage pieces that have more than one function. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
When you live in a cramped home, it can be precarious to move around — and decluttering can only take you so far. Create more breathing room by taking furniture off the floor, says Lynch. Here are three ways to do that.
"Adding a bit of walking room, about 18 to 24 inches, behind your couch, side table or armchairs can create the illusion of depth," says Alexandra Gater, a home design consultant. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
It might seem counterintuitive, but adding a bit of walking room, about 18 to 24 inches, behind your couch, side table or armchairs can create the illusion of depth, says Gater. It makes a room feel less flat by introducing more light, shadow and overlapping sight lines.
Life Kit 6 design tricks to transform your home, according to a feng shui expert If you try this technique, Gater says to anchor your floating furniture with a focal point like a rug, shelves or a console table to pull all the elements together and create a distinct zone.
Hang your curtains a bit higher and wider than your window frame. It draws the eye upward and out, creating the illusion of a taller, wider room. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
Hang your curtains a bit higher and wider than your window frame. That will draw the eye upward and out to create the illusion of a taller, wider room, says Gater.
There's no exact formula for how high or wide to hang your curtain rod since every home is different, but Gater says as a starting point, aim for 6 to 12 inches above your window frame and extend the rod about 5 to 10 inches wider than the frame on each side.
Aim for curtains that are just long enough to "kiss the floor," says Gater. Curtains that are too short can make it look like you got the wrong length and too-long curtains can pool on the floor and collect dust.
Don't be afraid of color. Painting a room from floor to ceiling can make it feel bigger by removing visual boundaries. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
According to the experts, the accent wall is out — at least when it comes to smaller spaces. Painting just one wall with a statement color can visually fragment your home, says Lynch.
Instead, she suggests sticking with one color or color palette for all your walls — it doesn't matter which color or whether it's dark or light. "Having that consistency throughout makes a space feel larger and has more impact," Lynch says.
Life Kit 4 reasons to decorate your home without the help of social media If you want your walls to feel even taller, try color drenching, the painting technique of extending the color from the baseboards all the way up to the ceiling. That can remove visual boundaries, disguising any lines that would otherwise truncate your walls.
Too many small pieces can make a room feel cluttered. So choose furniture that's appropriately sized for your space. Andee Tagle/NPR hide caption
Just because you have a small space doesn't mean you need to buy tiny objects and furniture, says Lynch.
In fact, a home full of too many small things can create visual clutter that can make a room look more cramped — what Lynch calls a "dollhouse effect."
Instead, consider furniture that feels appropriate for the size of your space, says Roberson. For example, if your place has a dining room, resist the temptation to squeeze in a table for six when a normal-size table for four would be more comfortable. You can always add a couple of chairs when guests come to visit.
Lastly, don't wait to make the most of your current address. Gater says she'll often hear from clients that they don't want to put in the effort for their small spaces because they don't plan to be there forever. But why not live as large as you can in the meantime?
"Stop assuming that one day you are going to live in this ideal space," she says. "It's amazing to have goals, but now is important as well."
Illustrations inked and colored by NPR's CJ Riculan
The story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is CJ Riculan. We'd love to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823, or email us at [email protected].
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