As a resident of Canada, you are probably used to free, wide open spaces, and you hate clutter and confinement. It is understandable that you want to translate this sensation to your condo. Some people are very adept at making everything in a small space count, which is the most important aspect of making a condo appear more spacious. With others, it is just the opposite. They are capable of making even spacious, airy condos seem small and narrow.
Small spaces can feel unpleasant. However, there are specific designs that can make rooms look bigger and fool the eye. These designs and techniques include furniture arrangement, color, lighting, and more. You don’t have to take out a huge mortgage for a large condo, to feel comfortable, instead buy something smaller and follow the advice below.
We all know and sense the ways, in which colors affect our moods. Being artistic and unique is one thing, but nothing kills space quite like heavy and/or dark colors. Light colors make the room look bigger and brighter. Having a Bordeaux evening gown is one thing, painting your living room walls in this color is quite another. You are sure to have a “what was I thinking” moment that is going to spiral down into anger and depression before you finally settle on repainting. This is going to be a problem if you are working on a budget. What is the optimal option? Paint the ceilings in white to create the illusion of height. The white paint is normally less expensive, and the rooms will look more spacious. Go for soft blue and green hues and never forget that brighter rooms appear more inviting. If you really must have dark color, use it for the trim and borders. The trim and moldings, if painted light, will create the optical illusion of your wall appearing further back, which will make your living room look bigger.
One thing to remember is that poorly lighted, dark rooms look much smaller. You might want to combine functional lighting with accent lighting to make your condo appear more spacious. One way to do that is to place lamps at the corners of the room. Another idea is to hang lamps from the walls.
Another important element is furniture. Do you ever wonder why clunky, Victorian-era furniture simply disappeared from stores? If this is something you regret, stop reading at once. For some time now, multifunctional furniture has been the hallmark of excellence. Go for items like chests, which can be used as coffee tables, beds with drawers for storage, and such. Curvy, heavily ornamented furniture makes everything around it look small, so go for clean lines, folding tables, extendable furniture, and more. Another idea is to have a glass-topped table, which you can see through. A coffee table of this type appears to take less space, compared to a massive wooden table. Fold-up beds are a great idea, as long as they are easy to fold up. Place your largest furniture near the walls so you do not block up the open space in the middle of the room. Do not obstruct walking pathways or block the view into a room – this will make it look cluttered and tiny. Get carpets only if you have to – bare floors are much more attractive and make rooms look bigger. And they are bigger now; so, relax. Whenever you do any of these improvements, you will have a cozy condo unit that feels so at home.
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