Optical Illusion Tricks to Make Rooms Appear Larger

Don't Make it Bigger, Make it Appear Bigger

Use Color to Give Rooms a Larger Feel

Regardless of the size of your home, it doesn't have to "feel" small. Below are some tips for how to play with color to give your rooms a larger look. Have fun and take the challenge of creating a spacious feeling through paint, flooring and home décor.

Playing With Paint

There are many approaches to using paint to make a room appear larger, but one standard holds true: Choose light colors such as whites, neutrals or even pale pastels. The lighter your wall color, the more light reflection you will get (both natural and artificial), giving your space an airy and roomier feel. You'll get the best effect from painting the entire room the same color. However, if you must add a splash of color, consider painting an accent wall a soft, pale hue. Keep your ceiling color white or a very light shade to further create the illusion of more space.

Flooring Options

To enhance that roomy feel, it's best to also choose flooring options in light shades. Light stains of hardwood, tile or carpet will cooperate with your wall color to create a more dramatic, open feel. Lighter flooring generates even more light reflection for a bright, roomy atmosphere.

Furniture Selections

Maintain your color scheme when selecting furniture as well, doing your best to stick to one color. Choose minimal pieces that pair nicely with your wall and flooring selections. Select variations of similar hues while varying your textures. Solid colors or small prints are better choices for upholstery or throw rugs. Larger, busier patterns tend to make a small space look disorderly or even cluttered. Glass tables in your living or dining spaces are great options as they naturally establish a feel of a more open, unobstructed space.

Expanding the Look in the Kitchen

Again, stick to the monochromatic school of thought to enhance the visual space within your kitchen. Consider a cabinet color that matches your wall color, creating visual harmony while also inviting more light reflection into your space. Consider selecting countertops in lighter shades, and keep the clutter to a minimum. Adding additional lighting such as recessed cans or pendants will also aid in creating a brighter, roomier feel.
Glass cabinets or open shelving are alternative options that can create the illusion of a larger space. Keep them organized as clutter tends to counteract the goal of a roomy feel.

Other Tips to Consider

Adding mirrors is a fantastic way to aid in the dispersion of light throughout your home. They do a great job at adding depth to a space, which then gives that space a much larger feel.
Embrace any and all natural light. Keep window coverings to a minimum or use sheers, inviting as much sunlight into your space as possible. After all, this is probably the easiest and cheapest way to give your smaller space the immediate feel of having greater square footage.
Keeping your wall décor to a minimum, selecting one stand out piece as opposed to many smaller ones, tends to make a room feel larger. Consider a minimalistic approach to décor in general, and keep your spaces organized and tidy.
You'll be amazed at the feeling of space you can create by keeping these simple, basic tips in mind when decorating your home.

For more illusion expansion tips please click here.

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10 Great Painting Tips!

10 Painting Tips & Tricks You Never Knew

The site livelovediy.com has great tips and tricks on painting your home that can save you time and money! Time is a very valuable thing so why not find out how to save time when you are painting your own house? Read about it below!

#1. For easy cleanup use tinfoil on your paint tray.

  When I painted all of the outdated wooden trim and peachy 80's walls in our house, I went through about 20 paint trays before I ever figured this out. Before you pour your paint in your paint tray, cover it with a layer of aluminum foil. When you're done, simply remove the foil and throw it away. Your paint tray won't have a drop of paint on it and will still be good as new! You'll never have to wash another paint tray. Ever. Feel free to high five the person to your left. This is a trick I use every single time now and it saves me tons of money and time. It's simple and it works!
To learn how to paint your trim, go here. 

#2. Use a paint pour lid on paint cans.

If you've ever used a gallon of paint before, you know what a mess it can be to try to pour it neatly into the paint tray. 
I have a lot of socks with paint on them.

I bought a few pour lids and use them on all my gallon paint cans. Not only does it make the painting process quicker and cleaner, but since the lid is airtight, it makes your paint last so much longer. You can find these here. (affiliate link)

 Now that I use these, I no longer have to awkwardly hammer the lid back on, or stomp on it with my shoe. 
Don't pretend like you haven't done that. 

#3. Use vinegar and hot water to clean your paintbrushes.

I wasted a lot of money on paintbrushes before I figured this out. Here's what I do. For brushes that are just kinda dirty, I fill a small bowl with 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 hot tap water and soak for about 30 minutes. If you have a brush that's really dirty and has dried paint on it, put your brush in a small pot and cover the bristles in vinegar. Bring the vinegar to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool before you remove the brush. Once it's cool, wash it with water and you should be able to gently clean all the paint off really easily.

  Check out the brushes in the below pic. The left brush was just soaked in water, and the right brush was soaked in vinegar and hot water. 

To see 10 more vinegar cleaning secrets, go here.

#4. Use mineral spirits to clean oil based paint off brushes.

The vinegar trick won't work too well if you're using oil based paints or clear coats. Oil based products are a totally different monster. Instead, try using mineral spirits to clean your brushes. I threw away so many brushes after using them to put varnish on furniture. Now that I know about mineral spirits, I can reuse the same nice brush for all my varnish/clear coats. Also, I like to use this Klean-Strip stuff because it doesn't have a strong smell.

#5. Buy a paint sample before buying the gallon.

I know how it feels....you're in the store, looking at all 400 million paint chips with funny names. You're not 100% sure about the color, but you don't want to have to come back to the store. I know. I get it. However, it pays to buy the paint sample and take it home to test it on your wall. As tempting as it is just to take the plunge, it's never fun to realize after you get home that you just invested in a gallon of paint that makes your wall look like a banana...if you weren't aiming for a banana. Colors have a funny way of changing in different rooms and lights.
I learned that the hard way here. Oh, how I learned it.

 So take it from me. Buy the sample and test the color on your walls first. 

#6. Make your own chalk paint.

I love chalk paint and use it often. It's a great time saver, as it's a type of paint that adheres really well, and saves you from having to prime or prep if you don't want to. I make my own version by using plain interior paint mixed with Plaster of Paris (affiliate link). You can find Plaster of Paris at Home Depot or Lowe's and it's really cheap. All you do is mix 5 tablespoons of Plaster of Paris with 2 cups of paint and 2 tablespoons of water. Just combine ingredients and stir well. It may even be a little lumpy, but that's okay. Once you brush it on, it evens out. I used my chalk paint recipe here, here, and here.

#7. Use the correct type of clear coat finish.

This is something I wish I had known when I first started painting furniture, as I ended up having to redo several pieces due to using the wrong clear coat. For most furniture paint projects these days, I usePolycrylic (affiliate link) as my top coat. It gives me the durable finish I want, but doesn't yellow over time like Polyurethane will. I definitely painted a few pieces back in the day and watched my pretty white paint turn yellow because I used Polyurethane instead of Polycrylic. Also, I like Polycrylic because it cleans up with water. You'll have to use mineral spirits for Polyurethane.

#8. Make any color paint into fabric paint.

You can get fabric 'textile medium' at most craft stores (I like the Anita's brand). You just mix it with any color acrylic paint and it instantly turns it into fabric paint. 
I'm totally obsessed with it.

#9. Try Rub n Buff or a Silver Leafing Pen to update metallic accents.

 I love silver spray paint and have used it on so many things that I consider myself a silvery spray paint expert. However, sometimes spray paint just won't do. I've found that for small projects like hardware, frames, or little knick knacks, Rub 'n Buff  (affiliate link) and Krylon's silver leafing pen are really great.  I used Rub n Buff here and here, and it creates a really shiny finish after you buff it out.

#10. ORB it.

Have you seen the gorgeous oil-rubbed bronze fixtures that are everywhere? I love them, but I don't love the price tag. That's why I chose to spray paint my doorknobs with Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint instead. They turned out amazing, too!  I also used it on a pair of cute end tables. My favorite ORB can be found here (affiliate link), as it's more black than is brown, and it pairs well with all of the silver accents I have in our house.

http://www.livelovediy.com/2013/05/10-painting-tips-tricks-you-never-knew.html

Use these great tips on renovating your home or on your next new home! Check out these great houses that are for sale in Baton Rouge!

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Cindy Allen Fekete, Licensed in the State of Louisiana, USA #SALE 9956330

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LouisianaHomesAndLand.com Buyer’s Specialist

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Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.

 

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