Making Space

Tips to make an Interior Space look more spacious

As per Wikipedia, Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interiors, sometimes including the exterior, of a space or building, to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the end user.

Interior enhancement, for a lot of individuals, would typically involve the addition of usable space. A bigger interior area means more space to utilise and function with. Larger spaces also give more room for circulation. It negates the feeling of claustrophobia and gives a sense of freedom of movement without restriction.

On an equally important note, bigger spaces also present the impression of luxury and grandeur. The size of one’s liveable space normally sets a status symbol. A larger and grander architecture displays wealth, power and authority.

And as it is an interior designer’s main task to improve an interior space, it is highly important to realize ways to create a feeling of space. Suffice it to say, a bigger interior space gives breathing space for any user to move, function as well as to enjoy and be cozy in, thus giving a better sense of calm and peace to the subliminal. Such is the role of an interior designer.

There are times that the edifice may not be physically present but Interior Design may create an illusion of space. On the other hand, there are also times when the structure is existent, but interior design may also alter the perception and make a space look smaller and more intimate.

This blog aims to provide ways to make an interior space appear more spacious. This is for practicing interior designers and interior designers in training, as much as it is for any individual who wishes to redecorate their spaces to appear larger, brighter and more luxurious.

Colour Scheme

As mentioned in the February Blog about Colour Psychology, colour may alter the one’s visual perception of space. It has the power to create a feeling of contraction as well as expansion, thus affecting the mind and psyche. In here, we explore further on this concept and give additional ways to use colour to give the perception of space.

Monochromatic schemes help making a space look bigger. It is the uniformity of surfaces and lack of division that creates the feeling of expansion.

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Light colours are said to make a room look bigger. Not only does lighter shades expand a room. It promotes light reflection, which greatly helps in creating a breathable and lighter space.

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Bigger and wider windows allow more natural light during day time, which enhances the airiness of an interior space, thus making it look bigger.

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Uniformity vs. Division

An easy way to streamline the manners of making a space look bigger is to create uniformity rather than division. Uniformity in terms of colour, texture and interior elements make an illusion of a bigger and more expanded space by creating a subconscious awareness that a group of spaces or surfaces work together as one larger unit.

While bigger windows are more favourable during daytime, window treatments create a sense of separation in between surfaces, thus giving an illusion of division. This may be minimized by using window treatments that would match, or would be in a closer shade and tint as the wall finish with the same hue.

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Glass partitions unifies two separate spaces together by creating an illusion of flow. This design solution, however, would present a drawback in privacy.

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Specifying similar and continuous finishes to separate rooms create a sense of flow and connection between spaces. This connection also presents a suggestion of uniformity, thus perceiving that the 2 or more separate spaces are all but one bigger entity.

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Built-in joinery such as doors, cabinets and storage units may also create a visual division of space. This kitchen, however, blends in with the environment to be more discrete, thus giving a higher sense of uniformity.

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Flooring and Ceiling

Paying attention to what is up and bellow gives a better perspective on how to control height perception in a given space. As little as they may seem significant, the floor and ceiling take most of the visible space in a room. And more often than not, flooring and ceiling are designed in repeated patterns. Suffice it to say, a tiny design detail may have a huge effect on the creation of an interior design concept.

Seamless flooring patterns create a more unified look in interior space, this creating a suggestion of expansion as opposed to busier tiling designs. Bigger tile sizes also decrease segregation of a space, and therefore creating a smoother flow of visual perception.

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While pattern in a flooring layout creates space division, a noticeable character such as colour or patterns in ceiling design draws the eye upward, thus, creating a feeling of height.

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Storage

Clutter negates the feeling of flow in a space as it disturbs the movement of chi. Clever storage solutions not only decrease clutter but also takes part in the interior design process by paying contribution to design and aesthetics.

Hanging shelves also draw the eyes upward and creating the illusion of height. In this example, this shelving unit also creates the perception of width by creating a horizontal rhythmic pattern which draws the eyes in a particular direction of extension.

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A more organized storage space creates a feeling of structure, thus decreasing the perception of visual clutter, which also defines a bigger looking space.

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Furniture Selection and Accessories

Furniture and accessories are typically added to an already built up space. But careful selection of furniture may also alter the expansion and contraction of space.

Furniture raised up from the floor creates a better perception of expanded space. It enhances the flow of light and decreases the sense of weight and mass.

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Statement furniture draws the attention of the eye to a certain focal point, therefore, enhancing structure and decreasing attention to unwanted visual clutter.

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Bigger but fewer accessories are more favourable than using more smaller pieces of knickknacks. Smaller accessories scattered around a room may develop a feeling of disorder, which may not be helpful in enhancing the perception of space in a room.

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Using mirrors is a great way to create an illusion of space. Strategically locating mirrors in an interior space can take advantage of its reflective quality, thus creating an optical illusion of an expanded space in interior design.

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Other Creative Ways to Create An Illusion of Space

Design does not always stick to rules. Here are a few ways to create a feeling of spa

This wallpaper art presents the great outdoors, producing a make-believe effect of having an open rain forest landscape on the bedroom headboard wall.

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The rhythmic pattern of these arches gives a feeling of depth in space and is a great way to fool the perception.

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Are you in love with Interior Design? Learn more about Interior Design by signing up on our online Interior Design School to get your own accredited diploma in Interior Design and be a fully certified Interior Designer.