Have you ever been in a small room that looks and feels more open than a room twice its size? If you’ve experienced this phenomena, you’re aware of just how pivotal something as simple as the arrangement of furniture can be when trying to make the most out of a given space. Whether your dining room is too cramped or you’re looking for a way to free up walking space in the hallways and bedrooms, the general consensus seems to be that more space is better. With that said, let’s take a look at seven ways you can make your home feel more spacious today:
1. Arrange Furniture Around a Center Piece
Feng shui experts frequently recommend centering furniture around an object like a coffee table or ottoman. The less spacious alternative to this would be to arrange seats around multiple objects, like two different tables, or having the couches set apart on separate walls.
2. Remove a Wall or Two
Sometimes tearing down the wall that separates two rooms can be a perfect way to create a smooth flowing open layout. For example, consider the spacial benefits of removing the wall that separates the kitchen and dining room or living room and dining room. With the space opened up, you can use rugs and furniture to create less restrictive boundaries than the previously standing wall(s). Of course, it would be wise to consult with a demolition expert before proceeding with a project like this, as it could be quite costly depending on what your walls are made of.
3. Downsize Your Furniture
Most people have an excessive amount of seating in their living room. Even though they only accommodate more than a few guests a few times a year, they still have enough couches, chairs, and seats to host a party on any night of the week. Consider downsizing to love seats, recliners, bean bags, and other smaller furniture pieces.
4. Make Things Easily Accessible
It’s always important to consider the spaces between objects and how they affect ease of mobility within the room. Although there might be an entire foot of space between the back of a couch and book shelf, you have to ask yourself whether it is going to be comfortable or convenient for people to have to squeeze through a layout like that.
5. Incorporate Built-in Components
Built-in book shelves, benches, slide-out tables, bars, armoires and other integrated components can do a lot to replace unnecessary furniture pieces. You might even want to consider having a fireplace installed instead of your current central heating system. Check out these top electric fireplaces for some ideas.
6. Make Use of the Corners and Crannies
Corners and crannies under the stairs make ideal spots for small tables, cabinets, night stands, coat hangers and other minimal pieces that can accent and add functionality to the room without taking up too much space. Look for ways to move your smaller furniture out of the center of the room and into the corners and go from there.
7. Hang Televisions and Mirrors
TV stands and dressers can take up a lot of space along a wall. Why not free that up by hanging or mounting the screen instead? Mounting a mirror on the wall is also a great way to trick your spacial senses into perceiving that the room is more spacious than it actually is.
Learn the KonMari Method
In closing, look for ways to de-clutter and reorganize your lifestyle using some of the tips provided in the KonMari method. This is a helpful school of thought worth suggesting to.
Daniel Clark
Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.
