2. Emphasize Diagonal Views, Create New Spaces
When decorating your apartment, keep diagonal views open. In other words, consider the lengths from each corner of the apartment to the opposite corner. These are the longest views of your apartment and leaving them open will make the space feel bigger. You can even lengthen this line by placing your furniture along these lines to extend them. And you can use a few interior designer techniques to make the space feel larger.
“Certainly, floating furniture is a great way to break up a space,” Ramsey says. It’s a technique she’s used in her own office, using a free-standing bookcase to display decorative items and to provide storage for items like fabric samples. Area rugs also offer an easy way to create or define spaces in your apartment.
3. Use Mirrors, Light Trim
A great way to open up your apartment is to hang mirrors strategically. Mirrors reflect light, so place mirrors behind a lamp, or angle them so they reflect some of the outdoors, and your space will immediately feel brighter and bigger. Put the mirror adjacent to the window, and you’ll get the illusion of a second window and a different view outside.
Mirrors also allow you to play with the dimensions of your rooms. Place floor length mirrors vertically on a wall alone or behind a smaller piece of furniture to make the room feel taller. To make rooms look longer, you can place a long mirror horizontally at eye level or just above furniture. Either trick will break up your wall space and add depth to your rooms. You’ll be amazed at how much a simple reflection can do to open up a small room.
Ramsey says she likes to use light-colored trim to make rooms appear larger.