Everyone has a room in their house that’s a little too small for their liking. It’s easy for a tiny room to feel cramped, cluttered, and unorganized. But a small space doesn’t mean you have to feel like the walls are caving in on you.

Here are some tips on how to make your small space feel bigger, brighter and more functional.

  1. Use light colors on the walls and floor. Light colors are more reflective, which makes the space feel more open.
  1. Use a monochromatic color scheme. This will help the space appear more cohesive. Use different tones of the same light, creamy color to create one cohesive space. Contrasting colors should be avoided because they tend to break up a space.
  1. Always take advantage of natural light! Natural light makes any room look larger, so make sure windows aren’t covered by heavy draperies.
  1. Opt for sofas and armchairs that are raised on legs. This will create visibility, which will add a sense of light and space.
  1. De-clutter your space by removing what you don’t need. Choose a few large decorative focal points rather than a myriad of small ones.
  1. Use mirrors or reflective furnishing. They reflect light, making the room look bigger.
  1. Don’t place furniture against the walls. Pulling it away from the wall will create an illusion of spaciousness.
  1. Scale your furniture to the size of the room. Use shorter arm chairs, short tables and ottomans that won’t block the open view of the room.
  1. Choose multi-purpose furniture, such as a storage ottoman that can also function as a coffee table or extra seating.
  1. Paint your ceiling. By panting your ceiling a color darker than the room’s color palate, it will draw attention upward, making the room look taller.
  1. Choose see-through furnishings such as a glass end tables that will seem to disappear and create more space in the room.