Utilizing Windows to Make Your Small Space Feel Larger

Sometimes, we want our space to feel larger without actually increasing the square footage of our home. Fortunately, it’s easy to make your home feel more open without undergoing an entire renovation or changing the paint scheme you diligently picked out. Utilizing new and existing windows is a great way to make a small space in your home feel larger.

Go Taller, Not Wider

Low ceilings can make rooms feel much smaller and cramped than they actually are. To make the room look bigger, you need to emphasize the vertical characteristics of the space. If you are installing new windows, opt to go longer, and not wider. There are plenty of options for long, vertical windows that work in a small room and make it appear taller. Some individuals really embrace vertical windows and install them from floor-to-ceiling.

Another great tactic used to accentuate vertical space in a smaller room, is installing drapery or curtains above the actual window, and just below the ceiling. Placing a wider curtain rod right where the wall meets the ceiling and fitting it with sheer drapes that meet the floor can instantly make the room feel larger without having to do any big renovations.

Embrace Natural Light

When considering installing new or replacing old windows, the first thing you should consider is natural lighting. Depending on the geographic direction your home faces, you should place your windows in a way that they will receive the most natural sunlight throughout the day. If you have the space, replacing your existing windows with bigger ones can allow for the maximum amount of natural light to fill the room throughout the day. For a front door, placing tall, vertical windows on either side can make your entry way brighter and feel much larger.

Be sure not to install the windows and then block out the light. Even if you’re not considering a window replacement, using dark colored or blackout curtains in a smaller room can make it look even more confined. If it’s your bedroom you’re trying to increase the visual size of, but you need blackout curtains to make the room dark enough to sleep at night, make sure you leave the room darkening curtains open during the day. This will allow the maximum of natural light to fill up the room and make it appear larger.

Use Lightweight Fabrics for Curtains

When it comes to your curtains or drapes, utilizing lightweight and light colored fabrics can open up your space even more. Anything that’s not dense and bulky will be a visual upgrade to a small room you’re trying to make appear larger. Most interior designers and decorators recommended using curtains made of linen or cotton materials for the best result.

When choosing the color of your fabrics, consider sticking with a light color palette. Once you’ve installed your curtain rod at the point the ceiling and the wall meet, if you use fabrics with dark color tones, you will completely off-set the aesthetic you’re trying to create. Hanging drapery and curtains that are neutral tones like off-white, beige, or light brown will have much more of an impact when opening up your space.

If you must use a darker color fabric or want a solution to closed blackout shades, pick a pattern that will extend the space vertically. Use vertical stripes, instead of horizontal, to create the illusion of height. Remember, no matter what fabric you decide to go with, if you do not use curtains that reach the floor on your newly raised rod, it will not give the effect you’re looking for.

Hang Mirrors Around the Room

In addition to tall windows, another trick to helping your space appear larger is to add mirrors. Hanging mirrors on the wall for decoration will help reflect the natural light, creating the illusion of a more open space. To make the most of the mirror, place it on a wall next to the window. When you install your mirror, ensure that it is in a location that efficiently reflects the natural light into the rest of the room. Just be sure not to add too many mirrors. Otherwise, your space can feel uncomfortable.

To make sure your mirror coordinates with the room’s style, try finding a design that fits seamlessly with your current or desired aesthetic. You can add mirrored panels that go directly on the wall, or see if you can find a framed mirror that coordinates with the color and décor of the space. Even if you find a framed option you really like, but the frame color is off, try painting it the same color as your walls or a hue that complements your existing decor. This small adjustment can make your mirror fit perfectly in the space.

Add Glass Doors

If you’re looking to create the feel of more space in an area where you have access to the outside, replacing the door to your patio, or other entryway, can make a huge difference. Much like the same theory behind the taller windows, installing a taller, simplistic glass door can visually make the room appear larger.

Installing a tall glass door can also make the boundary between the interior and exterior space appear blurred. It will seem as though the outside world has become an extension of the room in question. When considering a glass door, it is as important to think about the practicality aspect of it. If it’s placed in a room that leads to an outside area that is, or could be, established, it’s likely to be incredibly effective.

If you’d like some privacy for your glass door, you can add window coverings. However, the same rules apply as when adding drapery or coverings to a window — placing dark, heavy curtains that block out the light from your new glass door will eliminate the effect it’s had on making the small room appear larger.

Making a small space in your home appear larger doesn’t have to be a huge renovation project. Installing new windows specifically for the space can tremendously help increase the visual size of any room. If you’re unable to swap out your windows for something new, there are plenty of other simple and practical fixes you can use to make any small room feel larger as well.