You can in yoursmall space

Living in a small space has its perks. There’s less space to cool, and it’s easier and quicker to clean. If you own your home, updating the flooring won’t cost as much, there are fewer windows to replace when the time comes, a new roof will be less expensive and you won’t need as much furniture as you would for a big, sprawling home. In fact, some people prefer the coziness of a small home, and enjoy the challenge of making it work.

When it comes to getting maximum functionality in your small space, furniture that does double duty is key — an expandable dining table, benches and ottomans with built-in storage, a coffee table with storage and a lift top, a sleeper sofa, beds that have storage drawers underneath or cubbies in the headboard — options are endless for making the best use of a small space, and your creativity will be your superpower. Make your walls do double duty too: Whatever you can get off the floor (lighting, storage, books) to open up pathways is ideal.

If your main goal is to make your small space look bigger, keeping clutter under control is job one. Clutter creates a feeling of stress, of unease; if it’s starting to take over, judge it honestly. Keep individual items that you love (if they bring joy, or spark a beautiful memory), or if they are useful. Otherwise, pitch it, sell it or give it away. Stay on top of paper clutter with a weekly purge — bills, ads, notices, newspapers, etc. Shred anything with personal details and recycle the rest.

In terms of colors, think lowcontrast, monochromatic. Go with soft, paler neutrals that reflect light rather than absorb it, to open things up visually. Let varying weaves and textures, and toneon-tone color variations, provide the visual interest. Stick to leggy furniture: When light can pass under your sofa, tables and chairs, or through things like openweave lampshades or glass light fixtures, your room feels airier. Lucite chairs or tables, glass tabletops, mirrored furniture and large mirrors reflect or transmit light and open up the space as well. Bring in the natural light, and draw the eye up while you do it. Hang pale sheers all the way to the floor from a rod near the ceiling to exaggerate the height of the room, or install rolling or folding blinds in the same color as the walls.

Another trick that fools the eye into seeing a bigger space is painting your walls and ceiling the same shade of white. It creates an unbroken field of light-reflecting color that makes the corners of the room visually recede, and naturally draws the eye up. A similar approach works below your feet – reducing contrast between the floor and your furnishings adds to the perception of airy spaciousness.

Making your small space seem bigger is a matter of fooling the eye with color, paint, light and placement. Use your creative superpower! Before you know it, living large won’t feel like an illusion anymore.