Mastering some simple design elements can make any home feel open and roomier. This is especially important as most of us are not fortunate enough to live in our dream home. We are forced to make do with what we have. This is precisely why we came up with this guide on ways to make your place feel bigger.

No matter how small your place might be, there are a lot of simple ways to make that space feel larger. While you won’t physically gain any additional square footage, your overall feelings while in the room will be affected. This can be done by manipulating your place’s colors, textures and patterns. For example, simply keeping your colors light will do wonders for the feeling of openness in a given room. Going with a monochromatic color palette will produce a more airy feeling overall than having lots of contrast.

 Another design element to help your small place feel bigger is using stripes to lengthen the feel of room. Choosing accents such as light fabric curtains and furniture with thin, long legs will help your space feel a lot larger than it actually is. Walls and fllors can be accentuated with striped elements that help guide the eye vertically, creating the feeling of additional height. Anything that draws the eye upward is a plus.

Accepting your small space doesn’t have to mean feeling like you’re always trapped in a phone booth. Mastering some simple elements of design and using psychology to your advantage can help small spaces feel much larger — ultimately making you more comfortable in them.

Guest Contributor: Grant Kamperschroer