Apartments have been getting smaller and smaller. With some optical magic, you can make your home more spacious
Not everyone has the luxury of owning landed property or having a large home, especially in land-scarce, apartment-dominated Singapore. So, sometimes we need a little bit of optical trickery and clever furniture choices to help.
Here are eight tips to help you fake the space you do not have.
1. Light Colours & Clever Contrasts
Cream colours and pale blues can seemingly convert a small interior into a more spacious area. It is generally known that light colours make a room look bigger and brighter due to their reflective qualities, which make space feel open and airy. Paint your wall trimmings a lighter shade than your walls to make them appear further back, creating the optical illusion of space.
2. Invest In Multi-Purpose Furniture
De-clutter your living room of magazines, toys or newspapers by buying furniture with storage, such as stools that open up to reveal a storage space or coffee tables that come with an additional shelf to place your magazines and newspapers neatly without adding to the clutter.
3. Place Mirrors Strategically
Putting mirrors in places where they reflect light or the scenery from outside (instead of the apartment block wall or corner). This creates the illusion of depth. You can also get glass-topped tables to help the light flow better in the house.
4. Space out your art work and family photos
From the floor, measure 145cm up the wall. Then hang your art or photo at that focal point. That is the rough eye level for most people, which helps to open up more space above the object; thus, increasing height of the room.
5. Remove Unnecessary Objects
You may have souvenirs and knick knacks from each country you’ve visited that you want to display. But in a small space, less is more. Pick only one or two pieces for display.
6. Get Furniture With Exposed Legs
Instead of getting a heavy couch with a massive skirting or a leather sofa with a divan base, opt for furniture with exposed legs for greater flow of light and space. Plus, the elevation of the furniture off the ground also makes it easier when cleaning.
7. Pick Sensible Drapes
Try picking drapes that are in the same shade as the walls to avoid a contrast, which can dwarf the windows. Also, avoid noisy prints, heavy patterns and frilly fabric to keep a minimalist and clean focus.
You now have a cleaner, leaner, more spacious-looking home.
8. Hide Those Wires
With your television most likely hooked up to the cable box, your game console, your DVD player and in some cases the home entertainment system, you are likely to have wires dangling every which way. Bundle them up nicely with cable ties or tape them together with duct tape to avoid a tangled, wiry mess.
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