As much as you want to have the ‘perfect’ room — a big space, a nice layout, an even shape, and unobstructed sight lines — you don’t always get it. While it’s an option to tear down walls or add square footage, you, unfortunately, don’t always get to do that as well. Fortunately, though, there’s a way to ‘tweak’ your space without actually doing major, major makeovers. The strategy is just to bring out an important design concept: depth. Depth, in the context of interiors, refers to the visual perception of distance or space. In a way, it blurs out the imperfections in size or shape of the room. If you want to trick the eye into seeing a bigger space in a really small area or a visually enticing room in a supposedly flat, boring one, these are the elements you need to take note of:
Colour Palette
The hues in your interiors aren’t just an aesthetic touch. They very well influence how you perceive the space. For instance, when you place contrasting colours side by side, emphasising their difference, one of the hues, either the lighter or the darker, will look larger in coverage because the other one makes it pop. The black-and-white palette remains to be the timeless choice in small rooms, as it effectively gives a lot more depth. It’s also popular in staircase ideas today, precisely because it renders an illusion of expansiveness in a narrow space. But in case you’re not into the too-bold and too-light colours, you can apply the contrast in terms of cool and warm tones or bright and dark monochromatic shades.
Visual Weight
How heavy or light you perceive each individual design element is can contribute to how big or small, wide or narrow, interesting or flat, you perceive the entire room is. That’s why it’s equally important to pay attention to visual weight. If you have a small or oddly-shaped area, you want to introduce light design elements to make the space more open. This includes, for instance, fixtures and furniture that have clean, simple lines and natural textiles that are sheer, not bulky. On the other hand, if you have extra footage in a room, instead of filling it up with more stuff, the better move is to just use large, heavy design elements, like wingback chairs, leather coffee tables, or vintage sculpture for accent.
Reflective Surfaces
For sure, you’ve heard of the visual trick of using mirrors to create the illusion of expansiveness or evenness in the space. That’s true — but only if you get the size and placement right. When it comes to size, you want it to be big enough so it can reflect a larger space in your room and thus create more depth. If possible, go for one that covers an entire wall. If not, consider making it parallel to the size of the furniture close to it. As for the placement, pay attention to the area where you would most frequently see the mirror. This is usually the doorways of the room. From that spot, put the mirror against the farthest wall.
Go In-Depth
Are you struggling with a small, irregularly-shaped, or flat-looking space? Add a little more depth to it. Remember these elements mentioned to make your space work and look good for you.