Does your apartment ever feel smaller than it really is? In a compact space, small choices make a big impact. Light-filtering curtains, reflective wall colors, and furniture that’s scaled just right can all change how open a room feels. When these details work together, even the tiniest apartment can feel brighter and more spacious.
In this guide, you’ll find practical tips that show you how to make a small apartment look bigger, from choosing the right textiles to arranging your layout and color palette.
These five ideas will help you create a home that feels more spacious and enjoyable to live in.
1. Maximize the Power of Light and Color
Light and color shape how large a room feels. Natural light makes walls recede, while lighter tones reflect brightness and add depth.
Use sheer curtains to let daylight through, and choose a palette of soft whites, muted grays, or pale blues to keep the room open. Even a slight change, such as swapping a lighter blanket or curtain, immediately alters the appearance of your room.
Do: Embrace Light and Neutral Palettes
Think of your walls as a canvas for light. Lighter colors like soft whites, pale grays, and warm beiges are highly reflective, meaning they bounce natural and artificial light around the room, making it feel more spacious. This creates an airy atmosphere that seems to instantly push the walls back.
Follow these three simple points:
1. Paint Strategically: Use a satin or eggshell finish for a slight sheen that enhances light reflection.
2. Use Mirrors: Place a large mirror directly across from your main window. It will not only reflect the light but also the view, creating a window-like effect that adds depth.
3. Go Monochromatic: Using varying shades of the same light color for your walls, furniture, and textiles creates a seamless look that allows the eye to travel uninterrupted, making the space feel larger.
Don't: Go Overboard with Heavy Colors
While a dark, moody accent wall can be dramatic, using dark colors like charcoal, navy, or deep brown on all four walls will absorb light rather than reflect it. This creates a cozy atmosphere, though it can make the space appear smaller.
If you love dark colors, use them sparingly on accent pieces like pillows, a single chair, or artwork to add personality without sacrificing the sense of space.
2. Strategic Furniture Selection and Placement
In a small space, every piece matters. Start with sofas and chairs that have slim legs, since they make the room appear more open. Then place larger items against the walls so pathways stay open. Also, keep furniture away from windows, because blocking light makes the space feel smaller.
Let’s look at some simple dos and don’ts that make these choices easier to follow.
Do: Pick Furniture That Saves Space and Feels Light
The most valuable furniture in a small apartment works double-duty. Look for pieces that offer hidden storage or can adapt to your needs, such as:
1. An ottoman with storage inside for blankets or books.
2. A dining table that folds down when not in use.
3. A sofa bed that doubles as seating during the day and a bed at night.
This furniture makes a difference in your room. Sofas, chairs, and consoles with slim legs keep the floor visible, and that clear sightline helps the whole room feel more open and wider.
Don't: Overwhelm the Room with Bulky Pieces
Large, heavy furniture can dominate a small apartment and make it harder to use the space comfortably. Avoid oversized sofas or low cabinets that sit flat on the floor and block your view.
Instead, scale each piece to the size of the room, measure before you buy, and arrange furniture with walking space in mind so the room feels open and easy to move through.
3. Use Height and Clear Sightlines
When floor space is limited, think vertically. Tall bookshelves, high curtain rods, or stacked artwork draw the eye upward and make the ceiling feel higher.
At the same time, keep floors visible and pathways open. A clear line of sight across the room helps even the smallest apartment feel larger and more comfortable.
Do: Draw the Eye Upward
You can easily add visual height to your apartment with a few simple tricks:
1. Hang Curtains High and Wide: Mount your curtain rod 4-6 inches above the window frame and extend it 3-6 inches on either side. Let the curtains fall all the way to the floor. This will make the window appear much larger.
2. Use Vertical Storage: Install tall, narrow bookshelves or floating shelves that draw the eye up the wall.
3. Add Vertical Patterns: A subtle pinstripe wallpaper on an accent wall or tall, slender floor lamps can also help emphasize the room's height.
Don't: Clutter the Floor and Surfaces
Nothing makes a small space feel even smaller than clutter on the floor. Piles of books, unnecessary decor on every surface, and objects scattered on the floor create visual chaos that shrinks a room.
Instead, keep only what you use, give each piece a clear place to be stored, and follow a simple one-in, one-out rule. Open surfaces and visible floors will make the space feel larger.
4. Mastering Window Treatments
The way you decorate your windows shapes the entire room. Well-chosen curtains or shades add height, width, and a polished finish that makes the space feel more open. To see how this works in practice, let’s break it down into a few clear dos and don’ts.
Do: Use Sheer Curtains and Go Light
Heavy, dark curtains block light and make a room feel closed off. To make your room feel wider, choose lightweight, sheer fabrics that let daylight filter through even when closed. With that in mind, ZigZagZurich’s sheer curtains are made to soften daylight, keep the room bright, and still give privacy.
Check out the The Georgette Luxury Sheer Curtains from ZigZagZurich for sheer curtains products.
Don't: Block Light with Heavy Drapes or Incorrect Hanging
Sheer curtains help a room feel open, while heavy fabrics can make it feel closed in. Thick materials like velvet or canvas block light, and poor placement adds to the effect.
Hanging curtains right at the frame or stopping them at the sill breaks the vertical line and makes the window look smaller.
5. Smart Decor and Material Choices
What you bring into a room shapes how large or small it feels. Lightweight materials, reflective surfaces, and a few well-placed accents reduce visual noise and help the space feel open.
The goal is not to add more, but to choose better so every detail supports a sense of calm and clarity.
Do: Choose Furniture That Feels Invisible
Another clever trick is to use furniture made of clear materials like acrylic or lucite. A clear coffee table, console, or desk takes up zero visual space.
Your eye passes right through it, making the room feel much more open and uncluttered. These pieces provide the function you need without adding visual bulk.
Don't: Fill Surfaces with Too Many Small Items
It's tempting to display all your favorite trinkets, but a dozen small items on a shelf can look chaotic and make a surface feel cluttered. A better approach is to choose fewer pieces with more presence.
One large artwork on a wall often looks cleaner than a cluster of small frames. The same goes for decor: a few well-placed objects create focus and intention, which makes the room feel calmer and more spacious.
Quick Comparison: Dos vs. Don'ts
|
The Do's (To Create Space) |
The Don'ts (To Avoid a Cramped Feel) |
|---|---|
|
Use light, neutral paint colors. |
Paint all walls a dark color. |
|
Choose furniture with visible legs. |
Selecting bulky, heavy furniture. |
|
Hang curtains high and wide. |
Using heavy, light-blocking curtains. |
|
Use multi-functional pieces. |
Using furniture that's too large for the room. |
|
Use large mirrors to reflect light. |
Filling the floor and walkways with clutter. |
|
Select one large statement art piece. |
Crowding surfaces with small items. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What colors make a small room look bigger?
Light and neutral colors are the best options. Colors like soft whites, light blues, pale grays, and beiges reflect the most light, making a room feel open and airy. A monochromatic color scheme, where you use different shades of the same light color, is particularly effective.
Do rugs make a room look smaller or bigger?
A rug can actually make a small room look bigger when you choose the right size. One of the most common mistakes is going too small. A larger rug that allows most of the furniture to sit on it will pull everything together and create a sense of openness. By contrast, a rug that’s too tiny breaks up the floor visually and leaves the room feeling disjointed.
How do you arrange furniture in a small living room to make it look bigger?
Pull furniture away from the walls. It seems counterintuitive, but creating even a few inches of space between the wall and your sofa can make the room feel wider. Arrange furniture to create clear walking paths and try to place the largest piece (like the sofa) against the longest wall.
Make Every Room Feel Larger with ZigZagZurich
Making a small apartment feel larger is about thoughtful choices. Light colors, open sightlines, and well-scaled furniture all work together to create calm and balance.
By keeping surfaces clear, choosing flexible layouts, and paying attention to details like curtains and rugs, even a compact space takes on a sense of openness and ease.
ZigZagZurich helps bring that effect into everyday living. Our sheer curtains filter light without weighing down a room, while artist-designed rugs and expressive textiles add character to your room without adding bulk.
Each piece is made to enhance space, not crowd it, so your apartment feels brighter, bigger, and uniquely yours!
