These designers explain why you shouldn't play it safe (no white paint!) in a tiny room.
1. Playing it safe
"Instead,
put a large-scale printed fabric or wallpaper on the walls and even the
ceiling. It's easier, safer, and less expensive to be dramatic in a
small space. You might get tired of a bold print in the main living
area, but it can make a smaller, less-used room an exciting space to
spend time." — Victoria Neale
2. Cramming the space with too much stuff
"A
large piece of furniture can actually make the space feel larger, as
long as it's selected carefully. For instance, if you have the benefit
of high ceilings, a tall cabinet appropriately placed has the effect of
drawing one's eye upward and away from the small footprint of the room.
Just make sure every piece counts and holds its place and lets your eye
rest." — Laura Kirar
3. Not strategizing
"Decide
everything that needs to happen in a room, and then work that
legerdemain, baby. Divide a room geometrically into task-oriented zones —
working, sleeping, relaxing, dining. Think in halves, quarters, or even
on the diagonal and assign a function to each section." — Elaine Griffin
4. Not paying enough attention to the color of flooring and walls
"Lighter walls and lighter floors do automatically give the illusion of more space." — Mary McGee
5. Relying on small furniture
"Dark
colors and just a few pieces of large-scale furniture, with the
appropriate lighting and accessories, can give a room a larger, more
luxurious feel." — Mona Hajj
6. Missing the silver lining
"Turn
it into a jewel box. For instance, I turned a small room in my
apartment into a luxurious retreat. I upholstered the walls in a soft
chalk-striped brown wool flannel, coffered the ceiling applying
custom-designed 'faux bois' wall covering in the coffers, laid a plush
red carpet, installed a flat-screen TV on a flexible mount, hung an
oversize faux-tortoise-frame mirror to create more dimension, and,
finally, designed a custom-made sectional sofa to optimize the space.
Now it's a cozy space my whole family uses." — Philip Gorrivan
7. White walls
"Paint
the room a dark charcoal gray or Ralph Lauren's Black Truffles, one of
my favorites. This will actually really open up the space." — Paul Mathieu
8. Proportion and scale are vital
"Custom
upholstery is essential if you want to avoid burdening a room with
furniture that looks like it's on steroids. You should have furniture
made in the correct width, height, and depth for the scale of a room.
For smaller rooms, I try to avoid anything over 36 inches deep. Better
not to overpower a room with the steroid-injected, super-deep models
made to fill titanic spaces in McMansions. Bigger is not always better."
— Todd Klein
