Does your home have architectural features in the interior that pose problems? 

For example, the ceilings are so high that it just doesn’t feel comfortable when walking into or being in that room? Or a room is so narrow, it feels claustrophobic?

See below for some common problems and how to “fool the eye” to make them just disappear:

  • Long Rooms – divide the space into two or three separate areas (e.g., in a living room, have several seating areas as pictured below) and anchor each with an area rug. Use dark colors on the end walls to visually advance the wall towards you.

 

  • Narrow Spaces – put the bed in a bedroom or a couch in a living room on a diagonal.  Use square area rugs to visually widen the space. Use a dramatic color on the short wall to advance the wall towards you and keep long walls free from wall hangings to minimize advancement.
  • Narrow Windows – hang the window treatments beyond the sides of the windows so that it appears there is more window under the drapes but in reality it’s just the wall
  • Low Ceilings – paint the ceilings white, hang draperies as high as possible (as pictured below), use tall pieces or art to create a sense of height, lighten upward using can lights or torchiere floor lamps.

  • High Ceilings – paint the ceilings a warm, deep and rich color to visually bring the ceiling down, hang window treatments higher than the windows, hang artwork at eye level, choose furnishings and lighting carefully so they don’t seem dwarfed by the space, and warm up the room with area rugs.