Written by: Benj Toledo
“How to make my home look spacious?” In space scarce country like Singapore, this is one of the common questions by homeowners before selling or leasing out their property.
Undoubtedly, spacious homes attract more potential home buyers and tenants. We’ve asked experts for some clever tricks to make your unit look bigger.
What Makes a Property Look Spacious?
1. The “Rule of Odd Numbers”
What’s with the odd numbers? It takes our brains longer to process odd numbers as they are literally more thought-provoking.
This “odd effect” was originally called the “rule of three“, things arranged in odd numbers are more appealing, memorable, and effective than even-numbered groupings. Three seems to be the magic number, but five, seven, or nine work nicely as well!
Limit groupings to three or five items or choose three objects of varying height to style centrepieces or decorations on tabletops, nightstands and any other surface.
2. Colour and Contrast
It may be counterintuitive, but do you know that black colour paint makes a room look bigger? You’ve heard it right! Dark colours create depth and the illusion of a spacious home.
Achieve this contrast by going extreme, choosing either super dark or super white paint. Medium shades will make space appear smaller while white reflects natural light. Brighter rooms look bigger and at the same time, more inviting!
Bonus tip: Coordinating your home decorations, furniture colours and wall paint tricks the eyes into perceiving more space and makes the space feel cohesive.
3. Light and Lamps
Ever wondered why restaurants exude a welcoming feeling even without overhead lights? What’s more, candlelit dinners are magical! That’s because we associate light with warmth and security.
Multiple sources of light in your home can make it feel more expansive. Lamps will do the trick in spreading light evenly. Bear in mind that light is capable of affecting our emotions and moods – too little light is depressing while warm white light can make any space more welcoming.
Choose your sources of light carefully to create a wow-effect and sell your home in no time or rent it out fast!
4. Large-scale Accents
Do you love collecting small knick-knacks? That might need to change. Small items tend to feel like clutter, hence, it runs the risk of making a room look smaller.
If you’re an art enthusiast, be sure to choose one large piece of art instead of a gallery wall of smaller items. Large pieces of furniture or home decor can make a room feel bigger. Not convinced? Try it out and see!
5. Defined Spaces and Walls
You can’t increase your home’s square feet but you can define a space by adding large rugs. This gives an optical illusion of more floor space. On top of that, it also makes arranging furniture and other decor items significantly easier.
Now that you know how home staging works, it helps home viewers visualise how to utilise your home’s space and how to rearrange your furniture during home moving.
Additionally, an accent wall creates a focal point in your home. This is achieved by painting one wall with a stronger or brighter colour than the rest.
6. High Curtains and Ceilings
Always wanted to achieve the illusion of sought-after high ceilings? You’re right! Floor-to-ceiling curtains do the trick!
If you’re used to hanging curtains just right above the window frame, time to do some handyman works and reinstall your curtain hangers. Curtains from just below the ceiling that sweeps all the way down to the floor will make your ceilings look higher in an instant.
You cannot change your unit’s height, but you can trick that desired effect by opting for a lighter colour than the rest of your interior to make it seem like you have extra-high ceilings.
Achieve an elegant transition from wall to ceiling with mouldings, not only is it decorative but these elements draw the eye upward, making your ceilings seem higher and the room larger as a whole.
Can’t get enough? After all these clever tricks, remember that it’s okay to keep some blank spaces.
7. Leave Some Breathing Room and Arrange in Triangles
Not every inch of your surface needs to be covered to prevent your home from feeling overwhelming. For instance, you can leave a bit of unused space on your shelving.
Apply the “triangle rule” which means you’ll have a nice grouping of objects with variations in height with a lamp, photo frame, and succulent plant. With these, you’ll have one tall item, one medium item and one short item.
Wasn’t that simple?
Now that you know the tricks to make your home look spacious, it’s time to prepare for your flawless open house!
