In a world of ever-shrinking living spaces and equally tight corners in decor budgets, “downsizing” seems to be the word of the era. But sometimes, we just need a breath of fresh air and a sense of wide open space. Through the power of smart design choices, making small quarters feel light and airy is actually far easier that one might think.
Jennifer Agus of Agus Interiors shares with us a quartet of tips for visually elongating, illuminating and essentially liberating a space from its diminutive dimensions.
According to Agus, the first order of business is to “choose a wall and use Venetian plaster over the solid color and create a cloud-like design on only one wall” like the room shown above. Next, she recommends taking advantage of vertical windows to literally let the light shine in from floor to ceiling:
Speaking of windows, Agus shares a tip for minimizing contrast and maximizing light by using pastel fabrics as drapes and adds, “Don’t be afraid to mix colors and add a pop with some patterned picks,” as she’s done here:
Last but not least, she recommends a simple linear approach to trick the eye. “Elongated bookshelves… give an appearance of a wider, never-ending space,” she says. “Think horizontally in terms of furniture.”
Photo credits: Agus Interiors
My living room looks much like the one in the top photo — long and narrow. It looks like having some kind of accent wall (that room has beautiful windows, mine doesn’t) would work for making a long and narrow room look good.
Don’t forget the valuable “vertical real estate” in small spaces by making the best use of shelving and lighting on walls and bringing things off the floor so they float.