Disclosure: AD, this is a sponsored post, however all opinions are 100% my own.

We all want to give the appearance of bigger and more spacious rooms. There are several techniques and design strategies you can employ to create a spacious feel of the room or hallway in question. Making your home appear physically larger is possible by maximising the available space, using lots of natural and artificial lighting and thinking about how much of your belongings you need and where they would fit best in the home. 

Some simple changes can make a huge difference so here are some tips to help you make your rooms appear larger…

Declutter and organise

One of the best ways to get rid of that small room feel, is to clear out unnecessary items and get busy organising your belongings. If you want to get an idea of how much storage a room can accommodate, look out for resources such as minimum bedroom size and other room types.

Interior designers always begin by having a little clear out and this can instantly make a room feel better when you have limited space. Remove any excess furniture, or reposition it, put away any unnecessary decorations and get rid of that clutter which takes up valuable space.

When decluttering your items, there are several options for donating or disposing of them responsibly. Many charities and nonprofit organisations accept donations of various items, including clothing, furniture, household goods, and electronics. Charity shops and secondhand shops often accept donations of gently used items. Consider using online platforms and community groups to give away or sell your decluttered items. Websites and apps such as Freecycle, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. Schools, libraries, and community centres may welcome donations of books, educational materials, art supplies, and other items that can benefit their programmes or be shared with others in the community. For items that are not suitable for donation, such as broken electronics, old batteries, or expired household chemicals, check with your local recycling centres or council waste management facilities. 

It's always worth doing these steps although it can seem like a big task! 

Maximise natural light

When embarking on any projects in your home it’s important to take into account the hallway and how the light flows from this space into adjoining rooms. The staircase shape, structure, stair components and materials will make a difference to how much natural light you have in each space.

To allow more light in, take care of basic jobs first such as trim any outdoor foliage or trees that may be blocking sunlight from coming in the windows. Internally avoid blocking light with heavy dark curtains or small furniture pieces even if you have large windows. Instead, a great idea is to choose shutters which are one easy way to make rooms look bigger. Adding a decorative window covering, like premium wooden shutters are a classic look for every room. They're custom-made to fit the exact window shape, meaning they seamlessly fit within the window frame. California Shutters offer made-to-measure shutters for each customer, with a range of styles, colours and materials. Not only will they add style to any room, but they add home security, privacy and noise reduction abilities.

Types of shutters vary however, plantation window shutters are a popular window treatment option, also known as plantation blinds or plantation shutters. They add an elegance and functionality to your home, we have these in several rooms. They are known for their wide slats and can be installed on the interior of windows. They are commonly made from wood or vinyl. Wood shutters offer a classic and natural look, while vinyl is are more durable and resistant to moisture. Plantation shutters typically have wider slats which gives better control of light and privacy. It's really personal preference, we have the wider style, this is quite an elegant look and goes with most fittings and furnishings. 

We love that we can adjust the amount of light and privacy to our home depending on the day. Some shutters have a tilt rod in the centre of the panel that connects the slats, while others are hidden. All these details are for you to decide. 

Shutters can be installed easily as they are made to measure. This is whether you choose full-height ones that cover the entire window, or the lovely café style shutters that cover only the lower portion of the window. We used to have these in London as they provide privacy to the street while allowing light to enter from the top. They can be mounted within the window frame or on the outside.

Lastly they are not only great for making your room brighter and bigger but they help with energy efficiency by providing insulation and reducing heat loss. I find them easy to clean and maintain. They simply need a wipe down with a damp cloth or use a brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner. 

Use light colours

Or stick to neutral paint colours. Although there are trends for dark colours at the moment, light and neutral tones on walls and ceilings make a room feel airy and open. Opt for a colour scheme with shades of white, beige, or pastels, as they reflect light and create an illusion of space.

When choosing paint colours for lighter rooms, the goal is to enhance the sense of brightness and create an airy and spacious feel. If you don't want to just stick to whites, soft pastel colours like light blue, pale pink, mint green, or lavender can bring a subtle pop of colour while maintaining a light and fresh ambiance. Light gray shades with warm or cool undertones can create a sophisticated and modern look while still reflecting light. I think most of our rooms have been pale grey at some point! 

Pale yellow can give a room a sunny and cheerful vibe. Opt for soft and light shades of yellow to avoid overwhelming the space. This works particularly well in kitchens, breakfast nooks, or rooms where you want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Soft, light green shades like sage or mint can evoke a sense of nature and freshness. Green hues can provide a calming effect while brightening up the space. Lastly my favourite light, airy shades of sky blue can create a calming and serene atmosphere. 

Utilise mirrors

One design trick we should all be using is to make more of our mirrors! These can be highly effective in creating a feeling of space. Place mirrors strategically to reflect much light into a room and visually expand a small living space in creative ways. You can hang a large mirror on a wall or use mirrored furniture with reflective surfaces or accessories.

We've always found mirrors work well in hallways, not only for you to check your appearance but because these can be darker spots and you might need to place wall mirrors in a position where the light falls and this then reflects the light throughout the corridor. Large mirrors look great hung in stairwells but need specialist installation. Don't try this yourself.  

Choose your lighting

Using light strategically can greatly enhance the brightness of a room. Use multiple light sources to distribute light evenly throughout. A good combination is utilising overhead lighting, floor lamps, and task lighting to create a well-lit space.

Choose light fixtures with open or translucent shades that allow light to radiate in all directions. Stick to higher wattage bulbs or bulbs with higher lumens to increase the brightness of the room. Make sure they are the right types for the fixtures and consider using LED bulbs for energy efficiency. Consider installing dimmer switches to have control over the intensity of light, allowing you to adjust it according to your needs and mood. These are also great in children’s rooms.

Regular cleaning to get rid of dust on light fixtures, lamps, and bulbs helps provide maximum light output and makes rooms appear brighter.

It's likely that every room will need a different combination of lighting, due to its function and whether it already gets a decent amount of natural light. The direction and time of day that light comes also makes a difference. 

Our sitting room is very dark until late afternoon so we need both overhead lighting and table lamps to create a good atmosphere throughout the day. So adjust your lighting setup accordingly to make the best use of the light sources and create a brighter and more inviting space.

Opt for furniture with exposed legs

Furniture pieces which have exposed legs create a sense of openness as they allow light to pass through and provide an unobstructed view of the floor. Picking the right furniture will make a big difference and stops the room feeling crowded.

In the same way use multifunctional furniture to save space and make your room appear less cluttered. If your furniture serves multiple purposes you will have less items taking up space in the room. For example, sofa beds can be used for seating during the day and converted into a bed at night.

Install shelves and storage solutions

Adding shelves and storage space solutions can help keep the room organised and free up the floor from clutter. An easy trick is to use vertical storage solutions, such as tall bookshelves or floating shelves, which draw the eye upward and make the room seem taller and giving the illusion of airiness. When you have children it can be harder to keep up with clutter. For this reason we've added a sideboard to one of our rooms which has multiple, pretty, storage baskets. Each child has their own basket and everything they've been playing with goes away in there each night. This has made a big difference to how 'busy' our room looks at the end of the day. 

Pay attention to scale

Avoid using oversized furniture in a small room, as it can make the space feel cramped. Choose appropriately sized furniture that fits the scale of the room and leaves enough space to move around. Little changes such as; a smaller rug looks better and creates a focal point than a large one which appears to swamp the room.

The current appeal for large corner sofas may seem tempting but sometimes they make a room look smaller. Make sure you measure properly before choosing one of these and consider swapping to two smaller sofas instead with a footstool. Often these work better, I say as someone who has this exact problem! 

We hope you enjoyed these tips for how to make your rooms look bigger and brighter. Creating the illusion of space and optimising the perceived size of a room is not as daunting a task as it may seem. This may appear like a long list but if you pick one room and implement two or three items you'll see an improvement. Lightening your living space gives a feeling of not only space but clarity of thought and feel good vibes for everyone in the home.