Whether you live in one of your city’s beautiful yet tiny studio apartments, or you just got unlucky and landed the box room in your shared home in the suburbs, it can be difficult to live in a small space, especially when you’re using your room as a home office as well! However, it is possible to use a small room to your advantage. By creating the illusion of more space and taking note of these 4 tips and tricks to utilise your small-sized room to its full potential, you can do more with the space you own, without having to bring the builders in.

Switch up your colour choices

Colour is a great way to deceive the eye into thinking a space is bigger than it actually is. Creating a rich and dark feature wall and contrasting it with lighter and brighter tones will quickly open up the space in the room. Equally, off-white is a simple paint choice that will make your room look more inviting and open - especially if you contrast it with more vibrant colours and natural bits of greenery!

Assess your furniture

When you’re working with a small space, getting the right balance of furniture is important. You don’t want so much furniture that your room feels cluttered, but you also want to do everything you need to do in your space. By downsizing your furniture (for example, switching your double bed to a ¾ bed or changing your sofa to an ottoman) or investing in smart storage solutions like fitted wardrobes, you can quickly free up some extra space.

Change the layout

Struggling to create more space? Why not strip it back to basics by completely changing the layout of your room? A great tip is zoning. Split up your room into different areas so each space has a clearly defined purpose and use; sleep in the darkest corner, put the sofa in the lightest and brightest spot, and add your desk under your shelves to work. This technique will not only bring focus to your small space but makes the smaller area you’ve got work more efficiently for you.

Trick the eye

Creating more space in a smaller room is all about the illusion. Trick the eye into thinking your room is way bigger than it actually is by adding mirrors, installing curtain rods a few inches higher than the actual window, and using high shelves to draw the eye up. These are all great and easy ways to create the optical illusion of more space without having to expand.

Want to turn your basement apartment into a penthouse suite? (Or at least, create a convincing illusion?) Use these 4 tips and tricks to make the most out of your small room.