If you have small spaces in your Rancho Santa Fe home that you want to look bigger, using visual tricks will greatly enhance the way the room greets the eyes. This interior design tool will allow you to maximize light, color and furniture choice so that even if the space is smaller than you’d like, it still feels pleasing and comfortable to stay in.

You don’t need to feel uncomfortable because you think that the room you’re in feels too small. By arranging a few key elements, you can decorate it appropriately so that it looks more spacious. The key is to plan ahead and be aware of what you can do so that you’ll make the right decisions when redecorating.

There are three main elements you need to consider when trying to make a room look bigger:

Color. Lighter shades of color work to your advantage when making a room appear bigger. White, specifically, can open up spaces in your visual depth and maximize it. If painting the room white isn’t to your liking, just choose any monochromatic scheme that’s light to the eyes. Off-white, beige, or any neutral/pastel color will work. Make sure to match your furniture color to the room so that everything blends well when you look into the room. Contrasting colors tend to obstruct space so stay away from them when redecorating your Rancho Santa Fe home.

Decoration. Placing big furniture pieces in small rooms will definitely make the room feel cramped. Similarly, having a lot of small pieces will produce the same effect by making the room look cluttered. Choose medium-sized pieces instead. When choosing light fixtures, use track or recessed lighting, as well as overhead lamps that bounce light off the ceiling. Maximize the light coming into the room by removing heavy drapes and placing mirrors along one wall. Mirrors reflect light around the room and enhance the space that can be perceived in the room.

Organization. You may think that small furniture and tiny decorative pieces are okay, but what they really do is fill up a lot of space in the room, enough that it feels cluttered and full. Place those away so that the view around the room is better and you’ll have more space to walk. Set furniture at interesting angles so that you can highlight the negative space this produces, which will make the room more appealing to the eye. Choice of furniture is also very important, especially those that can perform multiple functions.

With the right decorative eye and approach, you can make any small room in your Rancho Santa Fe home look more spacious and therefore more pleasing to the eye.