How to Make a Small Room Look Bigger

Posted by Matthew Ressler on April 29, 2025

Living in a small space doesn’t mean you have to feel cramped. With a few strategic design tricks, you can create the illusion of a larger, more open room without moving any walls. From lighting tricks and color psychology to clever furniture placement and multifunctional pieces, we’ll walk you through exactly how to make a small room look bigger.

Why Lighting is Important in Small Spaces

When your room is on the cozier side, lighting can be your best friend. It has the power to completely transform your space, making even the smallest of rooms feel open and inviting.

The secret that interior designers swear by? Layering your lighting. No, this isn’t complicated designer-speak. It’s just combining three types of lighting that work together to create a space that feels larger than its square footage suggests. Here’s how it works:

Start with ambient lighting, which provides the base for your room's overall illumination. This could be your ceiling fixture, recessed lights, or a floor lamp that floods the space with light.
Add task lighting where you need it most–beside your favorite chair for late-night reading, over your desk for focused work sessions, or under your kitchen cabinets for meal prep. These lights not only make life easier, but they also eliminate shadows that can make your space feel smaller.
Then comes the fun part: accent lighting. These are the lights that highlight what makes your space special, such as artwork, plants, or unique architectural details. Accent lights create visual interest that pulls your eye around the room, suggesting there’s always more to discover.

When all three of these lights work together, your space gains depth and dimension. Walls appear to recede, ceilings feel higher, and suddenly that cozy room feels like a home away from home.

Natural vs. Artificial Lighting

When maximizing light in a small space, natural light should always be your starting point. Take a moment to observe how sunlight moves through your room throughout the day. Where does it enter? How does it change? This will allow you to use what nature provides to your advantage.

Quick tips for maximizing natural light include:

Keep windows as unobstructed as possible
Use sheer curtains instead of heavy drapes
Consider top-down, bottom-up blinds for privacy without sacrificing light

Don’t stress if your space isn’t blessed with wall-to-wall windows. You can still use artificial lighting, as long as you’re strategic about it. Here’s how:

Install wall sconces that direct light upward to create the illusion of height
Place fixtures at different heights to add dimension
Consider smart lighting systems that adjust brightness based on the time of day

Use Mirrors to Expand the Room

Don’t underestimate the power of mirrors. They reflect light, create depth, and can visually double your square footage with minimal effort. If you have a small space, try:

Placing a large mirror across from your window to bounce natural light throughout the room
Using a full-length mirror to create the illusion of another doorway or hallway
Positioning mirrors to reflect your favorite view or focus point, essentially “borrowing” that space

Those awkward corners with strange angles? They’re perfect candidates for mirrors. A well-placed mirror can smooth out visual inconsistencies while reflecting multiple angles of your room, making the space feel more cohesive and expansive.

When wall space is limited, look to mirrored furniture instead. A side table with mirrored panels or a cabinet with reflective doors provides the same brightening benefits without occupying valuable wall space.

Choose the Right Colors

The colors you choose can dramatically change how spacious a room feels. When it comes to small rooms, you’ll not only need to take your preferences into account, but you’ll also need to consider perception.

Light Colors vs. Dark Colors

Light colors naturally create a sense of openness. White, cream, and pale neutrals reflect natural light, which makes walls appear to recede rather than close in. Additionally, light-colored floors can make the entire room feel bigger.

That being said, darker colors aren’t entirely off-limits in small spaces. They just require a bit more strategy. Try the ceiling trick: keep walls light but paint the ceiling a darker shade to draw the eye upward. Or use darker colors on a back wall with lighter side walls to create the illusion of width.

Keep in mind that color perception changes throughout the day as natural light shifts. Test your colors in different lighting conditions before committing.

Use Monochromatic Color Schemes

Monochromatic color schemes are often a go-to for small spaces, and for good reason. By working with different shades and tints of a single color, you create visual continuity that makes a room feel more extensive and more cohesive.

The trick to making a monochromatic scheme enjoyable is variation in both shade and texture. A living room in blues might feature a soft sky blue on the walls, a navy sofa, and accent pieces in various blue tones, ranging from periwinkle to indigo. Mix in different textures, like a velvet pillow or a matte ceramic lamp to add depth without breaking the theme.

How to Arrange Furniture in Small Spaces

One of the best ways to create the illusion of space is to arrange your furniture strategically while maintaining the room's functionality. The right layout can make even the most cramped room feel open and inviting.

Start by pulling furniture slightly away from the walls. This might seem counterintuitive, but just an inch or two of space gives a sense of breathing room that makes the entire space feel less confined. Other strategies include:

Look up to maximize square footage with vertical storage
Choose furniture with visible legs to make the floor space feel more continuous
Keep clear pathways of at least 30 inches for comfortable movement
Arrange seating at comfortable conversation distances
Create a focal point that draws attention to your room’s best features

Sofa Alternatives

Traditional sofas can overwhelm small spaces; however, some alternatives provide comfortable seating without the bulk:

Sleek benches or daybeds that can double as guest sleeping accommodations
A pair of comfortable chairs with a small table between them
Oversized floor cushions or poufs that can be easily moved or stored
A statement chair with an ottoman
Compact loveseats for that familiar sofa feel

If you want to be creative with your space, consider investing in an oversized bean bag chair. cordaroys’ giant bean bags span nearly 7 feet, making it the perfect spot to curl up with family during movie nights, snuggle with your furry friend, or keep all to yourself. After all, there’s no place like foam.

Multifunctional Furniture

In tight spaces, every piece of furniture should work twice as hard. Multifunctional pieces can adapt to your changing needs without requiring additional square footage. Consider investing in:

Storage ottomans that serve as seating, table surface, and hidden storage
Beds with built-in storage drawers that eliminate the need for bulky dressers
Nesting tables that can be separated when you need additional surface area
Wall beds, or Murphy beds, that fold away to reveal living space

If you host friends or guests a lot, or you just want to be prepared for the unexpected, a convertible bean bag chair is just what you need. During the day, they’re great for comfortable conversation areas or reading nooks, and at night, they can quickly convert into a bed for last-minute sleeping arrangements. With washable, dryer-friendly covers in over 200 fabric options, our convertible chairs are a game-changer for small spaces.

Declutter and Organize

In small spaces, clutter is your enemy. What might be a small pile in a larger home can make a tiny room feel impossibly cramped. Fortunately, a little organization goes a long way.

Start by finding homes for everyday items. When keys, mail, and devices have dedicated spots, surfaces stay clearer, and you visually have clearer space. If you’re serious about getting on top of your clutter, consider the KonMari Method™. This will help you get rid of anything you don’t use or need while allowing you to keep only the things that serve a purpose and bring you joy.

Clutter-Free Storage

Now that you’ve gotten everything organized, you’ll want to store what’s left in a way that keeps your space clutter-free. Some space-saving storage solutions include:

Floating shelves that use vertical wall space
Under-bed containers for seasonal items
Over-the-door organizers for bathrooms and closets
Furniture with hidden storage compartments

Maximize Comfort and Space with cordaroys

If you have a small room, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or functionality. By following a few simple steps, you can make any room feel airy, open, and inviting. Even better, furniture like the bean bags from cordaroys that can serve more than one purpose will help you maximize every inch of your space without compromise. Don’t let space keep you restricted. Explore cordaroys today!