If you live in a small home, at times you may feel like you have no room to breathe, let alone participate in day-to-day living. This is no good for your sanity. If I were you, I would seriously consider ways to create the illusion of a larger space, for your comfort as well as guests. Read and follow these tips to get rid of your claustrophobia and live with a clear head and clean space.

Open shades and windows to let the world around you come into your home! Incorporating nature into your home environment helps create a feeling of being a part of a bigger world.  A cool breeze coming from your open window can sometimes create a calming escape. Plus, natural light is a proven mood enhancer!

Choose light, soft colors to enhance your walls! While dark, warm colors bring a cozy feeling into your home, soft, lighter colors often create the appearance of a more expansive, airy space.  Soft blues and greens not only do the trick, but also have a calming effect. If you’re afraid to paint an entire wall in these colors, opt for painting the trim around doors, windows, or perhaps even the doors themselves!

Get rid of clutter and find a home for everything else! This is a given – the less stuff you have, the more room you have to move around.  Throw away or give away things you don’t need.  This usually entails things you haven’t used or done anything with in more than six months.

Add mirrors! It is a proven decorating trick that mirrors enhance the look of a room.  The larger the mirror, the “larger” the room.  Just be sure that the mirror fits well with the space and the rest of the room.  To avoid overcrowding a room, opt for several smaller mirrors placed in a pleasing arrangement (which may not necessarily enhance the space, but looks really neat!).

Opt for sheer shower and window treatments! Thick curtains often have the same effect of windows with closed blinds and have an even heavier feel when in a dark fabric.  Create a comfortable, open environment by choosing sheer curtains in light, soft colors.

Keep it simple! Larger pieces of furniture or accessories can be used in place of several smaller ones.  When choosing your furniture, try and keep the fabrics on the simpler side.  If the fabric is busy with lots of pattern or color, it can create a sense of chaos.  Following these two tips is similar in the cutting-out-clutter effect and will enhance the open, calm feeling of your home.

Add a door wall! Door walls, glass sliding doors, and French doors do wonders for enhancing a space.  They are large and involve a lot of glass, which will allow more natural light into your home.  As stated above, allowing natural light in will bring good feelings and bring the world into your home.  Plus, door walls provide a chance to do some awesome decorating with window treatments and arches galore!

How do you create the illusion of a bigger space in your home?