In this month’s blog, we turn our attentions to how you can make the most from small rooms within your home. For most of us and particularly in London, space is at a premium.

You may be surprised to know that there are some clever tricks you can use with your decorating to create the illusion of space, thus making small rooms look great. Read on to find out more about our top decorating tips for small rooms!

#1 Reduce Clutter – this is an obvious one, but don’t try and add too much additional furniture to a room that is already lacking in space. Clear the tables, clear the accessories and keep things to a bare minimum. If you insist on furniture, keep it low to the floor and compact. Try to create a feature or handy storage cupboard out of elements within the room that cannot be removed such as chimney breasts and stair bulk heads. 

#2 Choose colours wisely – pale colours create an illusion of open space which will make a small room feel that much bigger. Light greys, subtle creams and off whites are all great choices for a small room. If you do opt for a dark shade, keep it to feature walls and don’t overdo it. Alternatively, selecting sharp contrasting colours can add depth to a room which can detract attention away from the actual size of the room itself!

#3 Let there be light – it is important to allow as much natural light into a small room as possible, as this will also make the space appear bigger than what is reality. This means avoiding blocking light coming through windows. If your room does not have any windows, or the windows are small, then we recommend adding multiple artificial light sources into the room. It is best to hang these from the wall if possible. A long central light pendant is also a great way to create a vertical focal point, which will make the room feel bigger in height. 

selecting sharp contrasting colours can add depth to a room which can detract attention away from the actual size of the room itself!

#4 Colour the ceiling – A clever trick to make the floor to ceiling height appear greater is to paint the skirting boards and the ceiling the same colour as the walls. This makes it harder to see where the wall starts at the bottom and ends at the top, thus creating an illusion of height. This works best with light colours. Alternatively, you can cut in an extra half an inch on the ceiling and paint the remainder white, which will be equally as effective.

#5 Shine bright – we recommend opting for paints that have a higher natural sheen such as silk, satin and gloss over matte and eggshell finishes. The higher sheen will enable light to reflect more readily from the surface, which we have already established is essential in a room where space may be limited. Remember that higher sheen paints do less to hide wall imperfections so make sure that any prep work is carried out to a high standard. 

If you need help getting the most from spaces within your home, get in touch with our friendly team of Painters and Decorators in London. We will be able to provide advice and make sure that whatever paint you choose, the finish is always just right!