Optical Illusions: Making A Small Nursery Look “Big”

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By mia bolaris-forget

Babies are tiny….but that doesn’t mean there room has to be. In fact, you may want to consider giving baby some space for growing. But, what if that “space” just isn’t available. Well, you can always master the art of optical illusion to increase the size of the room.

1. Carefully consider your colour schematic: Remember, darker colours make a room look smaller. So, sticking to light pastels and neutrals is a much better option for making the room look larger than it really is. Create visual depth by painting opposing walls in deeper shades such as green, blue, and violet. Cool tones will seem as if the are receeding and will visually increase the size of the room.

Another option if making one wall the “center of attention” with a bright bold colour and painting the rest in a muted tone

Last, but not least, stick to a single colour palette but vary shades of the same hue to give the room additional depth and space.

2. Get finiky about furniture: Start by picking a crib, typically the largest piece of furniture in the room, with a streamlined, contemporary design, sans any frill or elaborate details. Why? Because clean lines allow the eye to travel without inhibition around the room, giving the perception of spaciousness.

Give your home the once over for small pieces of furniture that can be used in baby’s room before you go out and buy bigger, bulkier items. Make sure pieces used or bought are small, tall, and narrow. You may even want to invest in some pieces that do double-duty such as a crib with built in storage, or a changing table that features some storage drawers. Not only is this practical but it often saves a significant amount of space.

3. Opt for minimal window treatments: Consider simple blings or light=coloured shades with a simply tailored valance hung higher than the top of the window to elongate the room and give the window a taller appearance.

4. Take a step in the right direction when it comes to flooring: For baby’s room basic is your best bet. Sure cutsey, wootsey designs may be calling your name or your baby’s name, but simply neutral colours and textures work wonders for keeping the room streamlines, clean, and giving the appearance of greater space.

5. Go Basic when it comes to bedding: Again, clean lines sans busy patterns and designs are the suggested choice. In fact, blending the bedding to the hues of the room can work wonders for you optical illusion.

6. Go au naturale when it comes to lighting: Opt for track lighting rather than lamps which can take up space and make the room look cluttered. For better control install a dimmer switch on the wall.

7. Less is more when it comes to accessories: Keep these fun additions to a minimum to prevent the room from looking cluttered. DO add a mirror or two to the room to help open up the space and reflect light when placed just opposite a window.

8. Be smart and strategic about storage: Storage is meant to contain clutter, but it can often be a part of the “problem”. Instead, consider sightly rather than unsightly storage options such as a bed skirt, which can hide a multitude of “sins” and bins. You may also want to consider a crib with storage space or drawers as well as removing the door from baby’s closet to open up the space while also doing double duty as an alcove for baby’s changing table or dresser.

Above all remember to keep the space tidy and neat and to keep clutter to a minimum. While it still may not be as big as you’d like, it will look bigger and feel cozy…a combination that just can’t be beat.