How to Scale for the Space

Whether your room is larger or smaller, the wrong size furniture, décor, and accessories cause it to be a distraction to your peace rather than an enhancement. Rattling around in an oversized room with an undersized sofa and a chair or two makes one simple feel out of place. But cramming a small room with that oversized recliner and sofa doesn’t leave room for people at all.

Get more from your small space

Visually enlarge a small room by painting the trim, ceiling, and walls with similar but slightly darker hue or in lighter shades of the same color. Use the lightest shade on the ceiling, the darkest on trim and the medium tone on the walls. If the walls have architectural interest, enhance with an additional level of the same hue to give depth and definition. Keeping the color consistent throughout the room gives coherence to the look.

Scale the furniture to the room. In the smaller space, think low-armed side chairs and a narrow sofa. Or go for a grouping of chairs in a circle, mixing fully-upholstered with wood-trimmed seating to give interest. Remove bulky pieces that fill entire walls and replace them with smaller options. Rugs should fit under the furniture legs but not extend to the walls to pull the grouping into a unified ensemble.

Make furniture do double duty by utilizing a storage ottoman as a coffee table, or a low bookcase as a sofa table. For a cramped entryway, try a gathering of small mirrors to bring light into a dark space.

Go big or go home

In a larger space, you need statement pieces to ground the design. The use of a larger sectional, massive coffee table around which to gather, and an oversized reading chair transforms a large area into a cozy family room. Add side tables, sofa tables, bookshelves and other wood pieces that bring warmth and texture into the room.

A large mirror to draw the eye can fill a wall and bring interest to a windowless expanse and carry light into the room. Mirrors work great in large entryways as well by reflecting architectural details and light into large dark areas. Choose expansive artwork, a soaring vase, a contemporary sculpture to lend interest to your room and draw the eye into the room. Fill walls with larger-scale art or groupings to avoid them appearing empty. Add colorful cushions and throws to bring warmth and coziness to your home.

If your home is too small for your belongings and you crave a larger home, talk to your local real estate specialist to see what’s available to you.