5 WAYS TO MAKE A SMALL HOME APPEAR BIGGER

Older homes tend to be divided up into many distinct rooms, and while open floor plans may not be as popular as they once were, opening things up is one of the best ways to make a little house seem larger. Removing all or part of a wall is one way to do this, but other options are out there:

• Replace one or more non-loadbearing walls with clear glass partition walls. This visibly expands your rooms but keeps the delineation of separate spaces.
• Swap out a wooden interior door for a barn style glass door. (These are often used on shower enclosures but can be installed between rooms as well.)
• Have a custom glass shop put in an interior window to create visual continuity between two rooms, such as the living room and dining room.

Any room looks larger when one of its walls are covered with mirrors. You can choose from standard or antique style reflective glass. Standard mirror is what we are most familiar with, and it matches any color palette and most decorating styles. If you have a historic home, want to create a “collected over the years” feel, or prefer to soften the impact of the reflective glass, choose antique mirror, which is new mirror that looks vintage. Options for a mirrored wall include:

• Entire wall – A wall is completely covered by large mirrors with tiny gaps of about 1/8” between the mirrors and surrounding surfaces.
• Wall with border – This is a less costly alternative to entire wall installation. A wall is covered with large mirrors, but there is a small gap between the mirrors and the surrounding surfaces.
• “Mosaic” or “tiled” effect – Many small square, rectangular, or diamond mirrors are arranged to cover the wall. Using beveled edge mirrors in this way makes the wall very decorative.
• Mirror gallery wall – A curated collection of diverse mirrors is arranged on one wall.

Certain hues and materials also provide a roomy vibe. Pale colors for wall paint, rugs, flooring, and furniture can all optimize a small home’s sense of spaciousness. For an even greater impact, choose light, breezy materials for window treatments to let the natural light flow in. Use dark, rich fabrics sparingly to keep things cozy but not dark or confining.

Clear glass is a wonderful tool for making any space seem bigger. Consider making one or more of these switches:

• Glass shower door instead of a curtain.
• Cabinet glass instead of wooden cupboard door fronts.
• Table with clear glass top instead of a wooden top.
• Clear glass shelves rather than metal, wire, or wood shelving.

Items that extend from the floor to the ceiling draw the eye upward and make the ceilings seem higher. You can hang curtain rods well above the top of the window, for example. In the bathroom, consider having your glass enclosure reach all the way up to the ceiling. If you are using wall paper, a vertical pattern gives a similar effect.