Should you often have a crippling feeling of claustrophobia upon walking into your house, it’s understandable if you have started considering increasing its square footage by adding an extension. However, this would be an expensive and time-consuming approach to the problem.

Worse, you might find that it isn’t even a practical possibility; for example because you wouldn’t be able to get the necessary planning permission. It could simply be the case that your house is poorly designed – and this issue can be resolved with a lot less fuss than you might expect.

Draw the eyes upwards

If many rooms of your house have a lot of clutter, clear as much of it as you can. You might find that some items are barely used and so can readily be disposed of. Other objects, by contrast, may be necessary – but also easy to store away somewhere.

That “somewhere” could be shelving – including floor-to-ceiling shelves that can draw your gaze up and so make the ceiling look higher. If space along your walls is at a premium, you could still just hang a single shelf close to the ceiling.  

Put large pieces on display

Bigger is indeed better, at least when it comes to objects you put in your house. For example, if you have a small living room, you could take out multiple small pieces it currently has and replace them all with a single large couch. The room could then feel bigger.

Don’t just stop at furniture; if you love collecting art and typically have several art pieces displayed on a single wall, swap those pieces with just one large piece instead. Opt for a piece with a particularly bold look and hang the canvas at typical eye height.

Choose colours that are consistently light

It’s time to see the light… on your home’s walls, that is. If many of those walls are currently dark in colour, keep in mind that this can reduce the perceived size of a room because light that hits those walls can’t reflect off them, unlike the case with walls of light colours like white, grey and cream.

It’s a good idea to keep those colours consistent, too. So, if you have settled on a yellow theme, you could make the walls, rug and tables different shades of yellow. This can increase the space’s feeling of openness. Throws, pillows and other accessories of similar shades can also help. You can also maximise the amount of light into an extension or conservatory by adding roof lights.