Urban living spaces are often small and cramped.
If you’re one of those who likes big and bright living spaces, decorating smartly is the key. It may require you to go against the set norms, but it is well worth the effort.
Lighter colors are the key to a brighter house. A well-lit space with lots of natural light makes even tiny rooms look big. The right mix of wall colors, decorations, furniture, and flooring can make your small old apartment look grand.
Let’s take a dip and see how lighter colors work their magic.
Contents
1. Walls
They’re everywhere in the house. Getting them right is the most crucial step in making your rooms look larger than life. Colors like white, off-white, ivory, powder blue, and the like are suitable for this purpose. Darker colors make the room feel small. Choose the lighter shades that suit your taste and go with your overall décor plan.
It’s ideal to be consistent and continue with the same colors across the living space. Experimentation is good, but walls with four different bright colors in a small area will distract everyone. So don’t go overboard and choose wisely. The walls will be the base for the rest of the interior.
If you have the option of having large windows, that’s fantastic. With the lighter colors on the walls, the natural light of the day will brighten up the place and make it lively.
2. Wall Decorations
The key is to have wall decorations, but they should not be overwhelming. It would help if you experimented with different clocks and mirrors as they add freshness to the walls. Several novel mirrors can lift the whole room.
Many people decorate walls with paintings, but they can be expensive. Instead, opting for canvas prints is a great idea. According to thecanvasprints.co.uk, these prints can be customized in many ways to suit your particular preferences.
Many people don’t know about these prints, which are relatively cheap and customizable with your pictures, quotes, or anything you want. They just cost a fraction of the artworks.
Different sized ones with an open landscape can brighten up the room. Ideally, have them on one of the walls. You can also add a few photo frames on one of the walls. It gives a very homely feeling without overpowering the appearance of the room.
Choose your light shades carefully. They should be noticeable but not overpowering. Many people pick up the darker shades to complement the lighter wall color, but that can be distracting. You can choose either of the white lights or the warmer yellow light, whichever suits you better.
3. Furniture
For smaller spaces, heavy furniture is a bad idea. Always look for trendy furniture that does not take a whole lot of space. Wooden furniture with a natural finish works well with lighter tones. A bit of experimentation can bring about the perfect balance.
You can opt for the furniture the same way as the Scandinavians, which is referred to as the Scandi look. It preaches the minimalist approach and keeps the clutter away along with creating a bit of contrast.
While you may want more furniture in a larger space, it works well for a city apartment. Besides, the minimalist approach inspired by the Scandinavian countries has its charm.
Some people want to create a contrast with darker tone furniture when they have lighter color walls. The contrast with very dark color tones looks good, but it can take away the softer feel of the living space. If the furniture has lighter shades, it should complement the overall appearance of the living space.
Single strong color contrast can do wonders for the appearance of your home as well. An intense color such as blue, purple, or red can contrast the lighter appearance overall. The single-colored pillow, bedsheets, rugs, and so much more can be used to create a charming look.
4. Flooring
Flooring provides a lot of space to experiment. The two typical options are very light or very dark-colored hardwood floors with lighter tone interiors. It’s pretty much a personal choice since it has a lesser impact on the overall brightness of the room.
The lighter shades mean that the entire room has the same feel as far as colors are concerned. However, darker flooring can add a bit of a contrast to the overall appearance, which is also desirable. The darker floor would look amazing with lighter-colored furniture as well. Some people even opt for white floors with white walls, a very interesting combination.
Carpeting the floor or at least having a rug on it can also enhance the overall appearance. Wall-to-wall carpeting gives an immaculate look to the room. However, a smaller rug can add a bit of class and finesse to the overall appearance. It is essential to have a carpet or rug that looks well with the overall scheme of the given room.
5. Accessories
There are so many accessories which can be used in various places at your home. They add a lot of value to the overall look and give a very homely feeling.
Plants
There is a wide range of plants that you use for interior decorations as they add a bit of green to the color scheme and give a lively feeling. You can have them in traditional clay pot ones. Even the plastic pots will do. You can have them in the corners of the room or on a table, depending on the plant’s size.
Lamps
There is an endless variety of lamps available in the market, and you can pick one according to your taste. The tall slim ones generally go well with lighter themes, though they’re not the flimsy types. You can also opt for the shorter ones that are placed on the table. Either white or yellow light works well with the lamps.
Coffee Table
Coffee tables are a must-have for any living room. They serve multiple purposes, and the middle of the room does not look empty. You can opt for the darker ones made from wood with a dull finish to give a classical look or opt for the many different varieties available in the market. You can even make a fancy one at home from used materials such as old tires.
Source: AllModern
Final Verdict
Living spaces are getting shorter, and intelligent interior décor can help give them a grand feel. Lighter wall colors, furniture, and overall interior themes are perfect for achieving such a look. There are no real hard and fast rules, and you can play around with different options to find the right balance for your place.
As long as you keep an open mind and are willing to experiment a little, you will amazingly decorate your place.
