How to Make Every Room in Your Home Look Larger Than It Really Is

Rather than lament your teeny space, embrace these clever interior tricks that will help your bedroom, bathroom and living room look palatial.

The Bedroom

The first step to making your bedroom appear bigger comes down to how committed to tiding you are. Yes, you need to aspire to a Marie Kondo level of cleanliness if you want to make your boudoir look bigger. 

“Bedrooms are so often covered in clothes as we discard them at the end of a busy day. If we take the time to pick everything up off the floor and tidy it away then the room not only appears much calmer but also much bigger,” explains Liz Hayward, Sydney-based interior designer and founder of Hayward and Co.

Keen to inject some art into your mini space? Go big, trust us. “Large scale artwork brings life to the walls and can also make them appear bigger,” says Liz.

Large mirrors hung on the wall (or positioned on the floor with a slight slant against the wall) are a brilliant way to expand your space and reflect light. A word of advice though? Just ensure the place your mirror is positioned isn’t going to reflect a messy part of your room, it’ll only add to a cluttered ambience.

Love your trinkets, books and treasures but find a bookshelf or storage cube adds to your room’s cramped feeling? Instal some floating shelves that will not only reduce the clutter, they’ll draw the eye upwards, giving the illusion of more space.

The Bathroom

Constantly grapple with the eyesore that is the 286 essential products you have perched upon your bathroom vanity, in the shower and up on the window sill? It’s time to invest in some bathroom storage.

“We have so much in the bathroom that we need on a daily basis (we don't wake up looking like this!) but the key is to keep it behind cupboards and in drawers,” explains Liz. “Having a clear bench top will help declutter the bathroom and make the space feel bigger.”

So where exactly are you meant to store all of your day to day items in a bathroom that’s about as big as an elevator?

“A mirrored shaving cabinet can often be a great solution to getting the additional storage you need and also gaining additional light reflections,” recommends Liz.

The Living Room

Out of all the rooms in your house, the one that gets the most traffic is your living room. Whether you’re having friends over to devour a decadent cheese board and pinot gris or to watch movies and inhale pizza, a living room that doesn’t feel claustrophobic is a high priority. The solution here? A rug.

“A large rug can really bring the space together and make it appear as big as possible. Likewise, a small rug can make the space look smaller than it is,” explains Liz.

It might feel counterintuitive, but the same goes for your sofa and coffee or side tables - pick options that are too small and the room will feel cramped.

“I always suggest to purchase pieces as big as possible (without overwhelming the space!). A cohesion of colours can also bring the space together, and cohesion can translate to visual space,” recommends Liz.

The “go big” rule also extends to your living room accessories. Tons of small trinkets and knick knacks will shrink a room whereas a few key bigger items (think vases and candles) can really help to expand your space.

Consider investing in chic furniture that can also double as storage. Coffee tables or ottomans that allow you to house items will decrease the clutter in your living room and make it appear palace-like.

Another interior trick that adds inches to your room? Opt for see-through lucite or glass tables and chairs.

Now that we’re on the topic, here are 7 easy ways to update your home in winter.