Everyone loves the idea of being able to spread out, throw parties and host holidays with ample space. Large rooms and open concept design are huge selling points in real estate. But, after move-in day, oversized rooms can be difficult to decorate because they can lack flow and look sparse. In fact, large rooms can be just as challenging to decorate as cramped ones. If you are feeling lost in space when it comes to decorating, there are several ways to turn cavernous rooms into cozy retreats with well-defined areas and stunning décor.
Separate into Zones
Large rooms mean plenty of space to spread out. There’s no need to do office work on the couch and live with children’s toys littering the area in front of the TV. Instead, separate large rooms into separate spaces based on function. Within a big living room, you might be able to keep the main seating area and also create a small office, children’s play space or quiet conversation area. Start with the space-planning tool at Plan Your Room to virtually arrange furnishings and unlock your room’s potential. Then, separate the spaces visually with rugs or a room divider, such as the one in this DIY tutorial from HGTV.
Once you have your room divided into functional spaces, fill in empty or dead spaces between areas by adding in accents such as potted plants or the occasional table. WOTV demonstrates how to pull it all together in their quick video.
Don’t Be Afraid of Color
Large rooms offer unique opportunities to play with color. Deep, rich colors can make a room feel cozy while bright colors and accent walls can bring attention to specific areas. In the kitchen, darkly stained or painted cabinets can create a welcoming and homey vibe. Better Homes and Gardens features a design gallery of deep-toned walls to get your design juices flowing while Benjamin Moore offers a Personal Color Viewer that allows you to upload a photo and try on your new color ideas.
Color can also be used to enhance visual flow. Repeating the same accent color in rugs, artwork and pillows pulls the eye across the room and creates a cohesive look. On the other hand, color can also be used to create separate visual spaces. For example if your living room contains a seating area, play space for the tots and a home office, keeping the same paint scheme and accenting with different, yet coordinating colors, can help define the areas.
Light It Up
Lighting plays an especially important role in decorating spread out spaces. Most homes rely on a single fixture, hung from the center of the ceiling, to illuminate a room. While this might work in small spaces, ambient lighting will fizzle out before it reaches the perimeter of larger rooms, leaving dark corners and shadowy areas. Create a lighting plan by taking stock of the way you use the space and then incorporate task and accent lighting at various spots around the room. This will allow you to fully illuminate the area for entertaining, or light only the portion of the space you are currently using. When choosing ceiling lights, hanging pendants often work better than flush mounted fixtures in large rooms because they provide visual interest to the open space between tall ceilings and the furnishings. Switch Onto Lighting offers an in-depth video with detailed instructions on creating lighting plans and determining how much light your room needs. ATG Stores also offers a video full of tips on choosing and installing pendant lighting.
Add It All Up
The combination of creating functional areas, bold colors and beautiful lighting add up to a room that is as big on style as it is on space.
What do you think is more difficult to deal with, large or small spaces? What solutions have you found for creating cozy spaces inside cavernous rooms? Do you have questions about decorating your oversized space, or a success story to share? We want to hear all about it in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.
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