5 Tips for Making Your Home Look Bigger

When you first moved into your home, you likely felt that it was the perfect fit. But, there comes a time in most homeowners’ lives when their home starts to feel a little cramped. Perhaps you've got a new addition to the family or your family members now require more space for their stuff. Whatever the reason, it’s not always possible to move to a larger home or do major renovations to add additional square footage.

Here are some of our favorite low-cost tips and tricks you can use to make your home look bigger.

Declutter

When your home is bursting at the seams with stuff, it can start to feel like you're out of space. Come up with a plan and work on one room at a time to clear out items you no longer use or want. You can work with a charity to make sure things go to good use — many charities, or even the City of Austin, will gladly pick up items for donation from your front porch.

If you’re having trouble figuring out where to begin, we recommend tackling the five most commonly cluttered areas of the house by decluttering your entryway, tidying up the kitchen counter, creating order on your desk, simplifying closets, and organizing the garage.

Once you have your home cleared out, come up with a plan to keep it that way. A good rule of thumb is to take one item out for every item that goes in. When you purchase a new item, you should plan on getting rid of another one you already own.

Rearrange Your Furniture

If you're trying to figure out how to make your home look bigger, start by rearranging your furniture. If you are having trouble re-imagining your furniture placement, ask a friend to come over and give you a pair of fresh eyes to help you make decisions. Or, give Williamson Group a call! We work with a professional stager on many transactions, and have come to understand many helpful tricks for arranging your current furniture to look best in your space.

If you have oversized furniture pieces taking up space in your home, try selling them on a neighborhood yard sale site and use the funds to replace them with more appropriately sized pieces.

Use Mirrors

One of the most common ways to make a small room look bigger is to strategically place mirrors throughout the room. Mirrors, especially large ones, do a great job of making a space appear bigger while also doubling the amount of light in a room through reflection. Place a mirror directly across from a window or major light source and admire the difference.

Try a Different Paint Color

Color can also be used to create or reduce the perception of space in a room. If your home is painted in dark shades, it can make the rooms appear smaller. Light-colored paint, however, can make a dark, dreary room feel larger and airier. Try giving at least one room a few coats of fresh paint in a lighter color to see the difference!

If a neutral palette isn’t your style, consider a shade of green. Green is a color for concentration and is the best color to be surrounded by for long periods of time. Shades of blue and green are found to have a calming effect and are best used in the bedroom and bathroom.

Regardless of the color combinations you end up choosing, try to limit the color palette to a maximum of three. Concentrate on how they make you and your family feel when you’re surrounded by them and decide accordingly.

Add Light

In the same way, adding light to a room can make it feel bigger. Try keeping your curtains and blinds open during the daylight hours for extra light at no cost. If you have rooms that don’t get much natural light, add additional lighting in the form of lamps throughout the room. Choose decorative lampshades for an extra pop of color.

You might also consider adding plug-in pendant lights or plug-in sconces. They give you the look and feel of modern lighting and decorative symmetry without requiring a single cut into the drywall or call to an electrician.

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Updating your home to prepare it to sell? The Williamson Group has a great track record of selling homes and would love the opportunity to share with you how we would sell yours for top dollar. Send us an email at Schuyler@wgrouprealestate.com or give us a call at 512-437-1059 anytime!