=====Let's face it, the spare bedroom is rarely the largest in the house. In fact, most homeowners would probably admit to dedicating the sma...
How To Make Your Guest Room Appear Larger - Let's face it, the spare bedroom is rarely the largest in the house. In fact, most homeowners would probably admit to dedicating the smallest of their bedrooms to guests. It makes sense if you consider how often the room is used, but it might get in the way of guests' comfort and rest to be in a space that feels small or even cramped.
That's where a few tried-and-true interior design tricks come in handy that can make any space feel bigger than it actually is. We've gathered eight of the best methods so you can mix and match until you find the best way to enlarge your guest room.
1. Don't Go Dark
It's certainly a bold choice to slick a bedroom's walls in a rich, dark color. However, these deep shades won't do much to make a space look more spacious. Instead, opt for something bright and light to make the room seem more open. You could apply this principle to other areas of your home, too and complete all of the interior painting in one fell swoop in order to usher in this spacious feeling house-wide.
2. Cut Out Any Clutter
It's likely your guestroom isn't in service 24/7, so it makes sense that you'd find other ways to make it useful. The only unfortunate side effect of using your guest room as a home office, gym or storage space is that it can look a bit cluttered. With clutter on shelves or bursting forth from closets, your guests will feel just as overwhelmed as you do.
Clean lines and surfaces free of knickknacks will instantly make a space feel more open. A great solution for minimizing large and bulky pieces in your guest room is to research multi-functional pieces. Instead of having a couch and a bed in the guest room, you can simply buy a couch that converts from a couch into a bed. You can also invest in spare-room storage organizers for beneath the bed and in the closets so if you're using the room for storage, everything has a home that's far from sight.
3. Let Windows Go Natural
Most bedroom windows come with some sort of treatment in order to accentuate them, soften them or darken them so they don't let in the sun's rays at the break of dawn. In a small room, hanging these long, thick tapestries can chop up the walls so they look smaller. Without window treatments, though, the continuous line of the wall creates a more spacious look and feel and as an added bonus, guests will be able to see the outdoors and feel as though the room is even more sprawling.
If the view is nothing special or if your neighbors live too close to go without window treatments, opt for something that's not as substantial as a thick-fabric curtain. Sheer panels, for example, have the same airy effect.
4. Clear It Up
We've touched on the space-enhancing effects of light colors, so it should come as no surprise that clear furniture pieces also add visual square footage to a space. Rather than surround your guestroom bed with traditional wooden nightstands, you could try a set shaped from acrylic that is crystal clear. They won't contribute any added visual clutter while affording your visitors with the convenience of a night table for charging phones, holding jewelry and more. If this look is too modern for your design motif, at least lighten up the paint or stain on your existing furniture.
5. Reflect on It
A mirror can do more than just help you get dressed and ready in the morning, it can be used to make a room look larger. That's because mirrors provide the illusion of depth as they reflect the light and colors that make up a space. You can do even better by strategically placing a mirror to reflect the outdoors into your guest room in order to make it feel even closer to nature. If you want to go big with your mirror, be sure to call a pro to install it.
6. Look Up
We talked about painting walls a light color in order to widen the appearance and feel of your guestroom, but don't throw all of your dark paint away just yet. An unexpected pop of color on the ceiling has its merits, especially when the rest of the walls in the room remain a neutral color. A rich blue or magenta accent ceiling immediately draws the eye upward, which makes the room seem taller and more spacious.
7. Step Away From the Wall
In a small space, your instinct is probably to push all the furniture up against the walls in order to maximize your square footage. Interior designers, on the other hand, believe that pulling your furniture away from the wall by even just a few inches creates an illusion of extra space. Perhaps it's because it seems as though you don't need everything squished up against the wall in order for it to fit, it has enough room to float in the middle. Regardless of the science behind it, it's an eye trick that works.8. Spread the Light
A single overhead light works well to brighten a bedroom, but it concentrates all the light in one space. Instead, try and outfit your guest room with a handful of lamps that you spread around the room. This floods the space with extra glow in order to make it feel more spacious. It also forces the eye to look around at all the lights, tricking viewers into thinking the space is bigger. Voila.
Conclusion
These aren't the only ways to make a space look larger, but they're certainly a good place to start. Once you've pinpointed the tips that will have the greatest impact on your guestroom, go for it! Your future guests,and your eye for design, will thank you for it.
