I’m an interior guru – 10 hacks to make your home look way bigger than it actually is… and bunk beds are key
IT may seem strange, but banning bunk beds, buying large items of furniture and hanging big artwork can promote the feeling of space in small houses.
Feng shui guru Cliff Tan explains . . .
DESPERATE for a bigger home and thinking of putting up an extension? Don’t bother.
Building one is now estimated to cost between £1,500 and £2,250 per square metre of internal space.
It is costlier if you are adding more than one storey, a bathroom or kitchen.
Architect and feng shui expert Cliff Tan says: “Most of us would like a bigger home, if only we could afford it.
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Instead, why not make the most of what you have and fall back in love with your house?”
He tells Alex Lloyd his tricks for making your home feel bigger without calling in the builders . . .
DO NOT DECLUTTER
OUR possessions are not clutter. Often there is a memory attached to them, which makes trying to get rid of things paralysing.
Focus instead on making sure everything has a home. Try to use closed storage with labels rather than open shelves.
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When there is less lying around, you reveal surfaces, such as tabletops, shelves and counter tops. This gives the impression of openness.
If you have things to display, group them into clusters, which creates distinct spaces between them.
BUY BIG FURNITURE
EVEN if your home is small, go for larger furniture that looks broad and generous.
Choose sofas that are a simple design and lightly coloured, so that they appear bigger than they are.
Console units should be as long as the wall allows, to create not only lots of storage but lots of open surfaces.
However, things that are in multiples — such as dining chairs — should be smaller and more refined. They should also match.
SUPERSIZE YOUR ART
ACCESSORIES and decorations should be as big as they can be. Items such as artwork should be of extraordinary proportions to give a sense of scale and height.
Anything sculptural, such as table lamps and statement chandeliers, should also have the freedom to be big.
They do not actually take up that much physical space, but do have lots of presence.
DITCH TALL SHELVES
INSTEAD of high bookshelves, go for waist-level units that offer lots of volume for storage, while still allowing the upper half of the room to stay clear and open.
Nothing makes a room feel bigger than having more ceiling height.
If you have a tall shelf, it eats into the room. Worst of all is a mid-height shelf.
Lower units also give you more surfaces, where you can add character such as lamps, while still being utilitarian and practical.
TURN OFF THE LIGHT
DO not rely on ceiling lights, as they cast shadows in all the wrong ways.
Indirect lighting such as table and floor lamps make the space feel more varied and therefore spacious.
Similarly, never block a window. Light makes rooms feel airy. Even tall bookshelves or wardrobes next to it have an impact.
However, you can put a low table or unit underneath it, as the light will bounce off the surface.
Positioning of mirrors is key too. Do not have one reflecting the clutter back at you.
Next to a window is ideal because it gives the illusion that the window it neighbours is double the size.
KEEP BED AWAY FROM WALL
IT is tempting to push a double bed against a wall to get more floor space.
But you do not want to be climbing over each other to get into it. That reinforces the idea the home is too small.
Even if you are in a tiny apartment, you each need your own pathway to the bed to feel like the room is doing its job.
HIDE THE TELLY
LAYOUTS are important and can make or break how you feel about a space much more than the physical size.
Large TVs can make a room feel smaller if you position them badly.
Try to put them in a place you cannot see when you enter, such as the same wall as the door.
This means you see the sofa first, rather than the telly and a jumble of wires. You should also put sofas against a wall if you can, to feel protected, and away from the door.
BE A FLOOR FILLER
MY motto is that rugs must be of an appropriate size — and this means that every piece of furniture associated with the rug must be on it.
If yours is floating in the middle of your living area and your feet are on the floor around it, it is too small.
If you can’t find one that is big enough, you can get two of the same to sit next to each other instead.
Rugs are great for creating zones in open-plan houses, so each area has a defined purpose.
FACE OFF WITH YOUR OTHER HALF
WHEN you have more than one person working from home, my trick is to put two desks together, facing each other.
The table space expands — or appears to expand — and you amplify the space you have. You will feel much more at ease, while still having privacy.
If this is not feasible, position your desk facing into the room, rather than the wall.
BAN BUNK BEDS
LOTS of children have to share bedrooms, but I would never recommend bunk beds unless you have no choice.
It seems like you are saving space, although everyone feels frustrated sleeping on top of one another.
Instead, opt for separate beds and divide the room into zones, perhaps with two desks facing each other in the middle.
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You can put a shelving unit up to create separate areas, but you must not block the access to natural light for one person.
- Feng shui expert Cliff Tan – @dearmodern – has joined forces with Virgin Media O2 to educate broadband users on where the best place is to put their hub.