10 Interior Design Touches That Make Small Apartments Feel Bigger

In a small apartment, the wish to make it "feel bigger" usually gets brushed off with white paint and a big mirror. In reality, what expands perception isn't a single decision — it's the sum of small choices that reinforce each other. Here are ten touches we've seen genuinely work in our projects.

1. Paint the skirting board the same colour as the wall

A dark skirting board draws the eye to a line between the floor and the wall, making the room read as shorter. Painting the skirting the same colour as the wall makes the walls feel like they run uninterrupted up to the ceiling.

2. Hang curtains from the ceiling, not the window

Mounting the curtain track as close to the ceiling as possible — rather than right above the window frame — visually raises the ceiling height. The curtain length should also meet the floor; a short curtain cuts the room in two.

3. Leave furniture legs visible

Sofas and cabinets that sit flush on the floor make a space feel heavier. Choosing furniture with slim legs lets the eye read the floor as "continuing" underneath the sofa, and the room reads as more open.

4. One splash of colour is enough

Using many colours in a small space creates visual noise. A neutral base with a single accent colour — one cushion, one artwork, one chair — gives the space character without fragmenting it.

5. Place the mirror opposite the window

The secret to mirror placement isn't its size — it's its position. A mirror placed directly opposite a window reflects natural light and the outdoor view as if doubling them.

6. Solve storage vertically

Instead of widening cabinets across the floor, keep the footprint narrow and take storage up to the ceiling. Rarely used items go on the top shelves; everyday items sit at eye level.

7. Use a sliding system instead of a hinged door

The half-circle of floor space a hinged door needs to swing open is a real loss in a small room. A sliding door or a curtain reclaims that space.

8. Choose a rug that covers nearly the whole room

A small rug breaks the floor into pieces and makes the room feel smaller. The rug's edges should leave at least 30–40 cm of gap between the furniture and the wall.

9. Keep the ceiling the same colour as the walls

Rather than painting the ceiling white, continuing it in the same light colour as the walls lets the corners disappear from view and makes the ceiling read as higher.

10. Light from several sources, not just one

A single ceiling fixture creates harsh shadows in a small room. Using three distinct light sources — one general, one task, one accent — adds depth to the space.

In Short

None of these ten touches works miracles on its own, but applied together they make a visible difference in apartments between 30 and 40 m². If you'd like to work out which of these apply to your own apartment, you can request a free consultation.