| We all secretly crave the large and airy rooms we | | | | small bathrooms where mirrored tiles and shiny |
| see in those glossy interior design magazines but how | | | | splashbacks fit into the scheme. |
| can we go about achieving that when we have the | | | | - Banish clutter with cupboards and sideboards with |
| daily clutter to deal with and a spaghetti junction of | | | | built-in storage space. Solid wood furniture works well |
| wiring for the TV and home cinema system? Smaller | | | | here as it has a unique feel that lends a natural |
| rooms do have a plus point; they can be cosy and | | | | warmth to any living space. Look out for oak coffee |
| quaint which may be a distinct advantage in the | | | | tables and oak sideboards - both look stylish and |
| bedroom but they do not ooze the glamour of those | | | | desirable yet they are functional too. |
| larger rooms. | | | | - Hide those TV cables with a TV cupboard made |
| One solution is to have a rethink around your house | | | | from a natural solid wood. Minimalist designs are great |
| and maybe instigate a radical relocation plan. Use the | | | | but they can make it difficult to hide all those power |
| proportions of the room as the guiding factor and you | | | | leads. |
| might eradicate that problem altogether. Larger rooms | | | | - Think about what the eye sees when you enter a |
| do tend to attract more clutter - people with smaller | | | | room. Avoid tall wall units in your direct field of vision |
| living spaces do have to be that little bit more | | | | and go with the coffee tables and sideboards |
| disciplined in what they keep around the house and | | | | mentioned earlier. These items of furniture take the |
| how they store those items. It may sound a | | | | visual clutter away from your immediate view. This |
| disadvantage but there is something to be said for | | | | also broadens your horizons, so to speak. |
| removing everything you do not use regularly and to | | | | - Use uplighters in your lighting scheme. Their vertical |
| live your life simply, free from the clutter of extraneous | | | | beams of light make a room seem taller and take |
| objects. | | | | attention away from its immediate dimensions. |
| Here are some suggestions to help you think big: | | | | - Create a focal point in your room. An oak coffee |
| - Lighten your walls with pale tints of receding colours | | | | table does a great job here - it is low so it avoids your |
| such as blue, green and lilac. Red and orange are | | | | immediate eye level, but it adds a real sense of style |
| advancing colours and should be avoided if you want | | | | and comfort to the room once you are sitting down. It |
| to maximise your feeling of space. | | | | takes attention away from the edges of the limited |
| - Borrow space by visually linking rooms together. You | | | | dimensions of the room. |
| can achieve this by allowing neutral colours and floors | | | | Many of the suggestions above are just optical tricks |
| to flow between adjacent rooms and keep open or | | | | but they have been used successfully by interior |
| remove internal doors to allow views of other spaces. | | | | designers for many years. If you want to make the |
| - Bounce light around a room with mirrors and | | | | most of the spaces you have, follow their lead and |
| reflective surfaces. This works well in kitchens and | | | | start thinking big. |