A hardwood floor is more than just an underlay for your furniture and area rugs. It can help shape the mood of the entire room. Of course there are the aesthetic considerations like species, color and pattern, but the floor can also help trick the eye into making a smaller room look bigger than it is.
Using a vertical layout to highlight the longest length of the room, as well as extending the floor to the next room will open up any tiny room in your home.
Design tricks to a bigger room
A few simple choices and installations tricks can help a small room open up and feel open and bright, instead of claustrophobic.
Using wider planks is a great way to trick the eye – and the brain – into thinking there is more space than there actually is. A slimmer board or a parquet floor will clutter a room, making it feel cramped.
Make the flooring uncomplicated and simple. Laying the board diagonally will also help open up the space as your eyes are drawn to the longest lines in the room.
Another great trick is to extend the hardwood floor from the adjacent room or hallway into the small room. This will give the illusion that the room is simply an extension of the other rooms, making it feel larger.
A glossy finish will reflect light and mirror the room making it feel bigger.
Light flooring will help open up the room and bring in light. It doesn’t have to be white on white, but the more light you can bring into the room, the more open it will feel. Avoid wood with a lot of knots and busy grain patterns. Keep it simple and subtle.
Choose a glossy finish that will almost act like a mirror. Another great trick to opening up a small space.
Got any tips and tricks you want to share with us about how to make the most out of your hardwood choices, send them to us and we’ll be happy to share.