Make the Most of Small Spaces

Real Simple Magazine
Mark Lund
Mark Lund

Make any room seem larger with new colors and smart furniture and storage solutions.
By Michael Cannell

Go From Dark to Light
Make a cramped living room feel more spacious by lightening the walls (pictured, Benjamin Moore Lemon Drops). The color's brightness is accentuated by darkening the adjacent entryway (Benjamin Moore Bronze Tone).

See More: Color Combinations for Your Home



Mark Lund
Mark Lund

Let the Light In
When curtain rods extend beyond the window frames, it allows in more light and draws the eye outward. "Windows are the eyes of the room," says Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, the author of Apartment Therapy (Bantam, $15, amazon.com). "When you cover them up, you make your place smaller."

See More: Your Guide to Curtains and Window Treatments

Center the Room
"People in small spaces often try to get the room they want by moving stuff to the edges," says Gillingham-Ryan. "But it kills warmth." To enliven the space, he suggested a sociable triangle consisting of a Chris Madden classic sofa, a Room & Board Flynn club chair, and a slipper chair moved from the bedroom. The neutral-colored Ikea Inez rug helps unify the room. Pier 1 Imports Lijang hexagonal trunks are combined to form a coffee table (unfortunately, these items are no longer available).

See More: Storage Ideas for Small Spaces

Mark Lund
Mark Lund

Get Items Off the Floor
CDs are stored in the Container Store's Sky Blue library CD boxes (unfortunately, this item is no longer available). The Container Store's Pandan box stores photos ($40, containerstore.com).

See More: The Low-Key, Stress-Free Organized Home

Create Reflections
A walnut-framed mirror hangs above the dresser to reflect light from the window, making the 9-by-10-foot room feel more spacious. "Mirrors are a tried-and-true way to open up space," says Susan Zises Green, a New York designer. "They almost always help a small room." Also, any room with a low ceiling seems loftier if you hang pictures up high. "The most important thing is to draw the eye up and not down," says Matthew Dennison, coauthor of At Home With Color ($27.50, amazon.com).

See More: Make the Most of Small Spaces

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