How To Make A Small Room Feel More Open And Airy?

Making a small room feel more open and spacious can involve a unique combination of design, organization, and decor choices. The goal? To manipulate how our eyes perceive the space.

And I’m bringing you all the tricks and techniques to help you succeed!

Whether you’re starting fresh in your very first apartment or seeking to revamp a small room in your home, you’re in for a treat. Let’s turn your small apartment into a spacious sanctuary that radiates your personal style and charm. Here are 16 Design tricks to make a small apartment look and feel more open!

16 Ideas To Make Your Small Room Feel More Open And Airy

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Create Sight Lines

If you want to make a small room feel more open, creating clear sightlines is the first step. Sightlines refer to the unobstructed views and lines of sight within a room. One way to create sightlines in a small room is to choose the right furniture pieces and then arrange that furniture to open up clear pathways within the room.

When furnishing your small room keep these tips in mind:

Opt for low-profile furniture with sleek lines to avoid blocking visual flow.
Avoid too many bulky or oversized pieces that can make a room feel cramped.
Use Floating / Wall-mounted Furniture where possible. Try a floating TV console, a floating nightstand, or a wall-mounted desk to enhance the visual flow.

If you’re dealing with a very small room, place furniture close to the walls to maximize floor space and prevent clutter in the center of the room. Identify and create clear pathways and be sure not to block them. Nothing worse than having to constantly maneuver around furniture just to get to your couch.

When you can see more of your space at once, it automatically feels more spacious.

Transparent Delights

Another way to make a small room feel more open is to incorporate glass or lucite furniture and decor items.

These see-through wonders have a transparent quality that helps a room feel less crowded, allowing the eye to travel freely throughout the space. This is another clever way to create sightlines and you’ll be amazed at the effect this has on a small room!

Try those chic acrylic dining chairs, a glass coffee table, or even those acrylic shelves that look like your books and decor are floating in mid-air!

Premium Tempered Glass Coffee Table on Amazon

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Keep the Floor Visible

While rugs can add warmth and style to your apartment, avoid using excessively large area rugs that cover the entire floor. A smaller, well-placed rug can define a space without overwhelming it. If you need a practical and sturdy rug solution check out these stylish Machine-Washable Rugs.

Incorporate ‘Leggy’ Furniture Pieces

Another way to make a small room feel more open and airy is to choose the right furniture design. Instead of a boxy sofa that sits directly on the floor or a skirted sofa opt for pieces with exposed legs. You’ll get the feeling of extra space because light flows freely underneath without any barriers, unlike your typical floor sofa or chair with fabric that drapes all the way to the floor. This will open up the space and give the room an airy vibe.

sofa with exposed legs vs chunky sofa without legs

This isn’t to say that legless pieces are bad. Just try incorporating a few leggy accent pieces in the room to lighten up the space and make it look spacious. If you have a chunky sofa that sits directly on the floor then opt for a leggy coffee table or an accent chair with exposed legs. Balance is key here!

I find midcentury modern furniture designs to be perfect for small spaces. These pieces are inherently leggy, offering a wide range of options to help you create sightlines to achieve that open and airy look you’re going for.

Let There Be Light (Variety)

Good lighting is essential for creating an open atmosphere and they’re an absolute must when decorating small rooms. Use a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting to add depth and highlight different areas. Bonus points for dimmers, which let you set the mood just right.

Wall lights will help you save space and you can pair them with a floor lamp or a large or medium-sized flush-mount ceiling light. See my picks for some statement ceiling lights for low ceilings here. Whatever you choose make sure your apartment is well-lit. Batcave-chic is not a look we’re trying to achieve here.

The Power of Light Colors

If you want to create the illusion of more space, embrace light and neutral colors like crisp whites or Ivory, soft grays, and pastels. These shades reflect light, making your apartment feel larger than life. So, when you’re picking out paint or décor, think bright and breezy.

light colors make small rooms look bigger

These shades may seem boring to those who prefer some color, but remember you can always add color with decor, art, or an accent wall. If you want to make a small room feel more open stick to lighter paint colors and neutral furniture. Plus neutral walls mean you can easily switch up your decor without clashing styles! If you want a bit more drama, try a bold, or dark accent wall. See how to use dark paint colors in small rooms here.

Mirrors, Mirrors Everywhere

Mirrors are your best friends in the quest for a more open apartment. Mirrors bounce light around the room and create the illusion of depth, making your space look like it goes on forever. Add a large or medium-sized mirror opposite or close to a window to maximize light in the room. This mirror hack can even create the illusion of another window!

multiple mirrors to make small room feel more open

Add a full-length mirror to the end of your hallway and watch that small space go on forever. You can even create a mirror collage by arranging several mirrors in various sizes. All of these techniques will instantly open up your space.

Want to level up your mirror game? These double-duty mirrors come equipped with extra storage to work harder for you and your small spaces.

Vertical Stripes for Height

If you’re feeling artsy, consider using vertical stripes on your walls or in your decor. They create the illusion of height and space, making your apartment feel loftier. You can do this with paint or peel-and-stick striped wallpaper. Check out the 6 Best Wallpaper Patterns For Small Spaces for ideas.

use striped wallpaper to make small room look taller

Choose Furniture with Multiple Personalities

One sure way to make a small apartment feel more open is to minimize the amount of furniture in the room. Employing multifunctional furniture is a smart way to reduce clutter without sacrificing function! I mean, we all love multi-taskers, right?

Invest in furniture that does double-duty. Use a hollow bookcase as a room divider (to maintain those sightlines), invest in a sleeper sofa, a storage ottoman, or opt for an extendable dining table that can double as a workstation. Less furniture = less clutter and less clutter =equals more space. Period!

Floating Shelves for the Win

When floor space is limited, go vertical. But Instead of standard wall shelves opt for floating shelves. Floating shelves are a sleek, modern, and savvy way to display your treasures, keep things organized, and free up floor space.

Standard wall shelves are great but sometimes those brackets can create visual clutter in the room. Floating shelves provide a seamless, clean, minimalistic look that will make all the difference in your small apartment. Trust me on this!

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Control Clutter

I know you’ve heard this advice over and over again but it’s for a good reason. Regular decluttering is your secret weapon to making your small space look and feel more spacious. Go through your stuff, Marie Kondo-style. A clean and clutter-free space automatically feels more open and inviting!

Vertical Storage Solutions

Tall bookshelves or cabinets are your friends. Think of them as the skyscrapers of storage! Open cabinets will make your space feel more open but be sure to keep these tidy and well-curated.

Try removing the doors from one or two of your kitchen cabinets to display decorative dishes, pots, or decor, or combine cabinets with floating shelves. This will break up the blocks of cabinets to make your kitchen feel more spacious and airy. Make the most of vertical space to gain more storage without sacrificing precious floor space.

vertical storage make small rooms feel more open

Reflective Surfaces Rock

Incorporate reflective surfaces like metallic accents, or glass tabletops and mirrored furniture. These shiny additions bounce light around the room, brightening up corners and dark crevices. A well-lit room will always look and feel more spacious. Plus reflective items add a touch of glamour to any space!

Cozayh Modern Mirrored Nightstand from Amazon

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Organize, Organize, Organize

Last but not least, keep things tidy. An organized apartment always feels more open than a chaotic one. Develop good habits to keep your space shipshape. See these Small Apartment Storage Ideas To Maximize Space (And Style!) to help you keep your small space organized.

Remember, it’s not about the size of your apartment; it’s about how you use it. By implementing just a few of these tips you can transform your small space into a roomy, spacious haven. Remember making a small room feel more open is about creating sightlines, so decluttering your space should be the first step! Now go ahead, work your magic!

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