Using light to make a room feel bigger

Using light to make a room feel bigger

A small or narrow room can often be one of the hardest spaces in a house to make practical use of and can often be overlooked when it comes to making the best of our living space. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of not recognising the potential because the room feels too cramped and dingy.

However, whether it’s a living room, bedroom, dining room or kitchen, a well-planned and implemented lighting system can bring unexpected comfort and enjoyment. Choose your lights well and you can discover the potential of previously unused rooms, making them feel bigger, friendlier and a pleasure to be in.

The Illusion of Light

While many people look towards a good clear-out and maybe even a fresh coat of paint to create the illusion of space, light itself can often be a simple, effective and often cheaper solution.

For example, instead of using a coat of paint to create a new, fresher space in an attempt to lift a room and make it look bigger, add a couple of extra lights to provide a range of textures and colours that do the same.

The varying qualities of a light or lamp can in fact really help to change the appearance of a small room. With a gentle warm glow from a small table lamp, it is possible to distract the eye from busy storage spaces. With a brighter standing lamp with an upward-facing shade, it is possible to highlight a textured ceiling and add an extra dimension of height.

Reflections of Light

Lamps that use an upward-facing shade help to make a room feel bigger because they reflect the light up towards the ceiling. This, in turn, reflects the light back into the room and creates a sense of space without overpowering a room with bright artificial lights.

If you look at lamps from Argos you will find a wide variety, including those with upward-facing shades. However, with many other styles and designs to choose from, it’s worth considering what style best suits your particular room.

For a classic minimalist look opt for a single floor-standing lamp to keep the light bouncing off the walls and ceiling. For something a little more traditional, try a similar standing lamp but choose a style with an antique brass stand and a tinted or frosted glass shade.

If you want something a little different and wish to gain even more control over where and how you use your lights try spot-light lamps with the light angled towards different areas and open spaces in the room. Try to angle the bulbs towards light-coloured walls to ensure that light is kept bouncing back from as many different surfaces as possible.

If ceiling-mounted lights are more to your taste then try spotlight bars. These also keep light directed to specific areas within a room, making it easy to highlight open spaces and hide busier ones. With the mount placed directly on to the ceiling, crucial floor space is saved while never compromising the quality of light in a room.

As the world of interior design expands, so too does the number of choices available to you. Small discreet lights sit side by side with larger bold designs that draw the eye. Patterned shades give way to subtle designs etched in glass and a wide range of coloured shades give you the option to change the look of a room with the flick of a switch.

Of course, because Argos provide lighting options for every occasion you’ll find a light to suit every room, no matter what shape, style, or size. So when it comes to transforming a dark, small space into a fresh, bright, and well-loved room, think about your lighting and make a few important yet simple changes to your home.

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