couch and bookshelf design
couch and bookshelf design

Photo credit: maciej_05/Pixabay


Who doesn’t love a good optical illusion? If you’ve ever dressed in black to appear thinner, you’ve benefitted from this. Our eyes see dark objects as slightly smaller. Want to appear taller? Wear vertical stripes. Our eyes are drawn up and down, creating the illusion of height.

Whether it’s haute couture or interior design, our eyes can and do play tricks on us. The key to making smaller spaces appear larger is to create an optical illusion using practical design hacks.

What we see and what we think we see are matters of perception. If you’re designing a small space to appear larger, several optical illusions can be used to your advantage. While it’s not all smoke and mirrors, mirrors are an essential design strategy to reflect light and create an illusion of depth. Placing a mirror opposite a window or door creates the illusion that the room is larger.

What This Means for You — Whether you have a cozy home, inhabit a small apartment, or need to extend a flex space, there’s no need to feel claustrophobic! Something as simple as paint color or as strategic as functional furniture can go a long way toward maximizing a minimal space.


View new home design products that can increase the feeling of largeness in even the smallest spaces. 
 

Design Outside the Box

According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, changing the perception of a room requires counterintuitive thinking. “When it comes to decorating a small space, conventional wisdom prescribes a lot of dictates, from ‘avoid saturated colors and prints’ to ‘keep the furniture Lilliputian,’” said San Francisco architect and designer Anand Sheth.

Sheth added that conventional wisdom comes at a cost to our sense of personality and design style. Instead, Sheth recommends thinking outside the box with these six perception-changing maneuvers:
 
Built In Preferences

Vertical lines draw the eye upward, creating the illusion of greater space. Homeowners can take advantage of the height of a room by considering tall vertical shelving units. To clear floor space and provide storage, use wall-mounted shelving.  Fitted millwork and built-in units reduce clutter while maximizing available space.

Color Blocking

Trick the eye by painting the ceiling the same color as the walls to add the illusion of height. Experiment with color blocking by dividing the room into two zones of color, creating “breathing room at eye level and critical depth down below.”

Visual Continuity

In the past, designers would have cautioned that busy patterns on the walls can make a room feel claustrophobic. The counterintuitive truth of this misconception is that small-scale, simple wall coverings can have the opposite effect. A petite print blends together, visually enlarging the space.

Proportions Matter

The unconventional thinking about furniture and rug size is to “go big or go home!” A useful space feels bigger. It makes sense to designate an area where a great sectional sofa with storage potential replaces several pieces of smaller furniture that can make a space feel cluttered. Large plants also add vertical appeal.

Floating Furniture

Furniture placement can make or break a small space. Furniture is placed against the wall with the intention of creating more floor space, but instead, this makes a room feel crammed by overemphasizing the walls. A better decision is to “float” the sofa to create breathing room around the perimeter. Giving space to walk around furniture creates the feeling of roominess.

Uplighting Is Uplifting

A technique known as “uplighting” can suggest that ceilings are higher. If you already have high ceilings, uplighting accentuates the height by creating a vertical path for the eyes which diverts attention from the width of a room.

Less Is More

Minimalist design is an art form. Declutter, streamline, and embrace simplicity to transform a small space into a minimalist refuge. When it comes to small spaces, minimalist interior design will maximize style and increase functionality.

To start the process, rid yourself of any unnecessary items. According to psychologists and interior designers, clutter is a major contributing factor to increased stress levels. Keep surfaces such as counters and tabletops clear. It’s also useful to Invest in smart storage solutions such as baskets, bins, and shelving to store items neatly. Be a mindful shopper. Choose quality over quantity.

Don’t let the square footage under the bed go to waste; use it to store items. Organization is key to creating serenity. Find a home for all essential items, including the ones in the most cluttered room in the house – the garage.

 

modern small living space
Photo source: AdobeStock


 

Acme Products for Interior Design Perception

One of the great interior design tactics for creating a perception of more space in a small room is with an accent wall. Because of its texture and ease of installation, thin brick such as King Klinker available from Acme, is an excellent choice. An accent wall of thin brick creates the illusion of spaciousness by making the wall a focal point of depth and interest. Interior brick walls add warmth to a minimalist design scheme. Thin brick goes up quickly. An interior residential application can be installed in one or two days.

Glass Brick as an accent wall is another eye-pleasing trick. It creates the illusion of more space as well as a design-forward accent wall reflecting all the lighting in the room.

Hardwood flooring, such as Casablanca is a premium hardwood flooring that comes with a matte finish to offset a light color palette. Individual planks are 7 inches wide, which can visually increase the size of the room floor. The fewer lines there are for your eyes to intercept, the larger the space will feel.

Natural light creates an illusion of spaciousness. To make a small space appear bigger, install Clear Choice windows in an array of glass block patterns for a custom design that reflects the unique look of the space.

Glass Floor Pavers seamlessly integrate a space by providing fewer visual interruptions, making the entire room seem more expansive. The strategic use of glass pavers to connect functional spaces can focus the eye on different zones while also providing a light, airy feel.
 
 

glasswalk stairs
Glasswalk stairs and flooring

 
Exclusive Iron Doors are an interior designer’s answer to the illusion of a larger room in a smaller space. Why? The elegant wrought iron design of custom-made art doors allows natural light to flood the room, inviting the outside world indoors, while also providing an intricate design focal point that draws the eye and secures your home.

It’s Counterintuitive

It may seem counterintuitive, but the illusion of a larger space is easily accomplished by employing design elements like glass, mirrors, marble tile, windows, and a strategically placed accent wall. Multi-functional furniture pieces also do “double duty” when organizing and uncluttering rooms. Strategic lighting and the use of vertical space draws the eye upward, creating the illusion of depth and height.

By focusing on these optical design elements, you can change perception, making a small space appear larger and more open, even when it’s not!
 
 
Acme is more than brick and these home improvement products can enhance the perception of space. You can find more design ideas here.