Tiny lounge? Decorate with bright shades

If you feel like your living room walls are closing in on you, here’s an easy rule to follow: a brighter room will always look larger than a darker room. Light-reflecting colours are the easiest way to brighten and lighten a space – think soft tones of blue and green, cream, primrose yellow and crisp white. If you have a narrow space, try using a darker colour on short walls and a lighter shade on long walls to help visually elongate the room.

One of the easiest ways to expand a small living room is by using bold, saturated colours in surprising spaces. Make instant impact by painting a splash of bright colour inside your bookshelf or windowsill. If you’re feeling creative, you could create a focal point with a painted feature like a stencil or a brightly coloured wall panel – you could even stencil a lampshade on the wall to frame a hanging light bulb, as shown in the photo here. By creating visual interest, you’ll help draw the eye away from small, cramped spaces and make the room feel more spacious.