Declutter and organise
One of the best ways to get rid of that small room feel, is to clear out unnecessary items and get busy organising your belongings. Interior designers always begin by having a little clear out and this can instantly make a room feel better when you have limited space. Remove any excess furniture, or reposition it, put away any unnecessary decorations and get rid of that clutter which takes up valuable space.
When decluttering your items, there are several options for donating or disposing of them responsibly. Many charities and nonprofit organisations accept donations of various items, including clothing, furniture, household goods, and electronics. Charity shops and secondhand shops often accept donations of gently used items. Consider using online platforms and community groups to give away or sell your decluttered items. Websites and apps such as Freecycle, Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace. Schools, libraries, and community centres may welcome donations of books, educational materials, art supplies, and other items that can benefit their programmes or be shared with others in the community. For items that are not suitable for donation, such as broken electronics, old batteries, or expired household chemicals, check with your local recycling centres or council waste management facilities.
It’s always worth doing these steps although it can seem like a big task!
Maximise natural light
Always allow plenty of natural light to enter the room. Trim any outdoor foliage or trees that may be blocking sunlight from coming in the windows. Internally avoid blocking light with heavy dark curtains or small furniture pieces even if you have large windows. Instead, a great idea is to choose shutters which are one easy way to make rooms look bigger. Adding a decorative window covering, like premium wooden shutters are a classic look for every room. They’re custom-made to fit the exact window shape, meaning they seamlessly fit within the window frame. California Shutters offer made-to-measure shutters for each customer, with a range of styles, colours and materials. Not only will they add style to any room, but they add home security, privacy and noise reduction abilities.
Types of shutters vary however, plantation window shutters are a popular window treatment option, also known as plantation blinds or plantation shutters. They add an elegance and functionality to your home, we have these in several rooms. They are known for their wide slats and can be installed on the interior of windows. They are commonly made from wood or vinyl. Wood shutters offer a classic and natural look, while vinyl is are more durable and resistant to moisture. Plantation shutters typically have wider slats which gives better control of light and privacy. It’s really personal preference, we have the wider style, this is quite an elegant look and goes with most fittings and furnishings.
We love that we can adjust the amount of light and privacy to our home depending on the day. Some shutters have a tilt rod in the centre of the panel that connects the slats, while others are hidden. All these details are for you to decide.
Shutters can be installed easily as they are made to measure. This is whether you choose full-height ones that cover the entire window, or the lovely café style shutters that cover only the lower portion of the window. We used to have these in London as they provide privacy to the street while allowing light to enter from the top. They can be mounted within the window frame or on the outside.
Lastly they are not only great for making your room brighter and bigger but they help with energy efficiency by providing insulation and reducing heat loss. I find them easy to clean and maintain. They simply need a wipe down with a damp cloth or use a brush attachment on a vacuum cleaner.
