Whether you are contacting property agencies for a high-rise rental apartment in Mumbai or googling “ladies pg near me,” you want your living space to be spacious. Sadly, buying even an extra square inch in a city can cost you dearly.

And that is why most people make peace with their cramped spaces. But that’s not the right way to deal with this problem. No matter how cramped your home is, you can create the illusion of space with some tips and tricks. But before we dish out the tips, find out why small spaces are bad.

Why shouldn’t you settle for a cramped space?

The answer is simple: cramped spaces create stress. After all, you see the same space and objects over and over again. You can’t do much readjustment of your belongings’ positions because it’s a small space.

There are other limitations also. Over time, you might find yourself feeling trapped, restless, and agitated. This can hamper your ability to enjoy your life in your home as you feel less motivated to spend time inside.

Thankfully, you can alleviate this stress by tweaking your interior design from time to time and purging your belongings whenever required. Here is what you can do—

• Opt for sleek, compact furniture

A small apartment should not have heavy or large furniture. So, it’s time to get rid of that old-fashioned, overstuffed sofa in your home. Keep in mind this rule of thumb: The smaller the sofa, the larger the room will appear.

• Using contrasting colors is not a good idea

Too many colors in a room can make it look cramped. By bringing in uniformity in the paints used, you will cause the ceiling to look higher and the room to look a little more spacious. Try painting your entire home in some shade of white or cream. Even the smallest rooms will look larger and more spacious that way.

•   Verticals should be highlighted

Interior design is all about tricking the eye. Use vertical elements to emphasize your room’s space. This will not only increase the space and openness of your room, but will also give the illusion of flow. Shower curtains can be used to visually expand a bathroom. Vertical wood paneling can be used to highlight the height in your bedroom or living area.Verticals should be highlighted

• Take some of your furniture off the walls

Although this trick may seem counterintuitive at first, it is actually quite simple. It can actually create the illusion of more space by placing furniture away from walls. It turns out that pushing furniture up against walls makes spaces seem cramped.

Here are some bonus quick fixes that you can try out—

• Use lighter shower curtains to make a small bathroom seem larger. Clear or light-colored ones will give the illusion of more space. And space is all you are looking for. Isn’t it?
• Use the same color across all the rooms of your home. Don’t worry, it won’t look unsightly. Pick different variations of the same color for different elements. For instance, if you love cream color, then choose different shades of cream for your walls, rug, and furniture. This will unify the objects in your home while still keeping them looking distinct. This is a great way to expand the space visually.
• If you have the budget, you can do some extra lighting to open up the interior space. Don’t go for colorful lighting, stick to white or yellow light. And no, adding extra lighting to the space doesn’t mean you will have to alter the existing wiring of the home. There are special battery-operated lights available these days that don’t need to be connected to your house’s electric supply.
• Use glass in furniture. Your center table, dining table etc. can have glass. Glass makes much of the furniture see-through. This allows you to keep as many pieces of furniture as you like, without making the house look jam-packed with objects.
• When you use artwork, make sure every piece used goes with the paint in the walls of your home. Don’t go for anything too dark, it will make the space look cramped just like dark walls do. Also don’t use large-sized decor pieces. They might look out-of-place in your tiny home.

Don’t be afraid of expressing yourself and adding your own personal flair to your home. Do some experimentation with interior design. Make sure that you follow the correct rules meant for small spaces. There are many ways to visually expand a small space. It’s important to select the best ideas and to make them work with your efforts. Remember that you can live a happy and fulfilled life no matter what your circumstances are. If, however, you simply can’t settle for cramped spaces and would rather go for a spacious rental than opting for a cheaper cramped home, then you can approach stanzaliving. They can help you with the best options in PGs, hostels and rental properties.