In a small space, everything counts and sometimes due to the shape of your loft these rooms can have many nooks and crannies which make your loft rooms appear smaller. SkyLofts have pulled together a few ideas from Pinterest (credit is given where possible to the owners and in now way shows our own work) that will allow you to make your loft rooms feel and look bigger by simply applying a few clever tricks.
1. Use Light Colours and Clever Contrasts
When it comes to decorating your new loft rooms consider using cream and icy blue colours, this is a great colour combination that gives the illusion of a small space looking like a larger living area. Walls that are light and brightly coloured are more reflective, making the rooms feel open, airy and spacious.
2. Add built-in furniture
Opting for built in furniture can instantly transform the look of your loft conversion and is a great way of utilizing awkward spaces. Unlike free standing furniture which can leave a lot of wasted spaces, fitted furniture not only eliminates excess clutter but will make your loft conversion look more seamless. If you opt for built in storage such as wardrobes, try taking them all the way to the ceiling, giving the illusion that the room is taller.
3. Let In Natural Light
Natural light can do wonders for small loft spaces, making them feel bright and airy despite their size. You should avoid blocking natural light into you loft conversion and the use of Velux windows are a great way of avoiding this. If you are not using Velux windows then curtain poles should be used on windows mounted as close as possible to the ceiling of your loft conversion, using fabric curtains that fall right to the floor. This helps give the illusion of height and space. If possible try and have your curtain poles extend beyond the window recess so that curtains can be drawn back helping to make the room look wider. Better still, opt for blinds as these give a cleaner and less cluttered effect to a loft room. Letting in as much natural light as possible also has its benefits, you can find out about these on SkyLofts blog post Your Loft Conversion, Natural Light. Naturally Beneficial.
4. Use Mirrors
You probably have a pretty good idea on where to hang the mirrors in your new loft conversion rooms, but if placed correctly they can be one of the best tools to make a small space look bigger. One way of creating the illusion of space with mirrors is by using a long skinny mirror and turn it on its side when hanging it on the wall, as it instantly makes any wall look longer. You can also use mirrors on your wardrobe doors, this will double your rooms visual space and works best when you can take the mirrored doors from floor to ceiling, wall to wall.
5. Use A Day Bed
A daybed is a great way to create the illusion that your new loft room is more of a small sitting area instead of a bedroom that has been taken over by a bed. Daybeds often have storage built in underneath which helps to make the most of your loft space.
6. Paint The Ceiling
Consider painting the ceilings of your new loft rooms, the trick to effectively opening up a small space like this is to keep the colour contrast between the walls and ceilings to a minimum. Painting the ceiling the same hue as the walls helps to erase the shadow lines that visually define a space, making the room feel light, airy and larger.
7. Put Up Wall Shelves
A bedside table or a bookcase can take up a lot of floor space in a loft room, try replacing these with wall shelves. The use of wall shelves can provide a more open feeling and extra floor space, while giving you all the room you need for your essentials.
8. Opt For Stripes
Not only are stripes in at the moment, they add colour and pattern to any design scheme. One of the many advantages of using stripes is their cunning ability to disguise rooms small shortcomings. In a room that has a low ceiling try hanging wallpaper with vertical stripes, this will create the optical illusion that the walls are taller than they actually are. In the same way that striped wallpaper can make a room feel wider, striped carpet can also create the illusion that your room is longer than it actually is.
For more loft conversion inspiration visit us on Pinterest.
If you are considering a loft conversion in Surrey, Hampshire or South West London then please contact SkyLofts on 01252 500 872 or email info@skylofts.co.uk to help move your loft dream in the right direction.