When you are decorating your space, it is easy to get focused only on what you like, but lose sight of what actually works for your home. If you live in an urban environment, it’s very likely that space is the one thing your apartment lacks. Luckily, there are tricks that will make your home look roomier.

Let Colors Do the Work for You!

When it comes to using colors to make your living space look bigger, the rule is simple: the lighter, the better. Dark and bright colors generally tend to absorb more light, thus making a room look smaller. Go for a traditional white, an elegant off-white or beige, a neutral light gray, or a soothing pastel. In smaller homes, it is smart to avoid accent walls although they may work: painting everything in one color visually blends the corners and different planes, and opens up the room.

Lighten Up!

As we’ve said, it’s all about making your space visually open. Light is the best way to do that. Don’t close up your windows with heavy curtains or shades. Carefully pick out your lighting. It’s important to illuminate any dark or shady corners. Your preferred lighting should be bright and warm. Avoid huge, extravagant fixtures – they will probably be too overpowering for your room. Choose smaller pendant lights or wall lamps.

Declutter!

The quickest way to suffocate your space is to have too much stuff. Sure, you want your little nest to be cozy and comfortable, but try to rein yourself in. That doesn’t mean you need to throw away half your belongings, natch! In a small home, organization is key! Built-in shelves and closets are ideal for this purpose. Custom built furniture will help you use what you’ve got in an optimal way. To get all those trinkets and bits and pieces out of eyesight, build drawers or get cute decorative boxes. That way, all of that stuff will be packed away, but still within your hand’s reach.

Use Those Nooks and Crannies!

Make sure you use any seemingly useless nooks and crannies to build extra storage space. You are probably thinking you don’t have any, but you do. The space under the stairs often goes unused, but is actually perfect for storage units. Make sure your closets and cupboards reach the ceiling. Don’t waste the space under your bed. When choosing a couch, buy one with storage space underneath.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall!

A great illusion which will make your home look roomier than it actually is would be to use mirrors. Instead of cluttering your walls with paintings, which would only close up your space, use mirrors. Glass, in general, is a great choice for furniture as well – especially for tables. Not to mention that interesting frames can make gorgeous room decorations.

Lose the Doors!

Doors, walls, whatever can go, should go! Open floor plans have been extremely popular over the last few years for this exact reason. Getting rid of unnecessary walls and doors is an essential step to making your home look open and spacious. If, for some reason, you absolutely need doors, opt for glass pane ones, since they do not eat up the space and look great.

Play with Patterns

Using a pattern in a small space might sound counterintuitive, but is actually not a bad idea at all. Don’t cut up the space with too many pieces and a lot of different patterns. Stripes are an optimal choice to give the illusion of width. Use the same pattern on a few choice pieces to add some flare to your home design.

As you can see, just because your home is on the small side, that doesn’t mean it has to feel cramped or claustrophobic. With just a bit of effort and imagination, you can turn your tiny abode into a comfortable, modern looking apartment.