I’ve styled apartments under 50 square metres that feel spacious and airy, and I’ve walked into large homes that feel cramped and oppressive. Size matters far less than most people think — design decisions matter far more. After years of working on small-space interiors across Melbourne and Sydney, here are the techniques I return to again and again.
Light Colours on Walls and Ceilings
This is the single most impactful change you can make. White, off-white, and very light greige tones reflect light around a room rather than absorbing it. Ceiling colour matters as much as walls — painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls (or slightly lighter) removes the visual ‘cap’ that dark ceilings impose. Dulux’s Vivid White and Antique White USA remain perennially popular in Australian homes for good reason. If you prefer colour, use it as an accent on one wall rather than all four.
Continuous Flooring Throughout
Changing floor materials between rooms creates visual breaks that chop up a space. Continuous flooring — the same timber, vinyl plank, or tile throughout connected areas — makes a home read as one larger space rather than several small ones. This is particularly effective in open-plan living areas. If you’re renovating, choose one flooring material and run it everywhere. The cost difference is minor; the effect is significant.
Mirrors: Strategic Placement Changes Everything
A large mirror placed opposite a window doubles the apparent depth of a room and bounces natural light to every corner. In bedrooms, full-length wardrobe mirror panels create an almost illusory sense of space. The mistake people make is buying decorative small mirrors and hanging them in clusters — these add pattern, not space. A single large mirror (1.2m x 1.2m minimum in a living room) is far more effective than several small ones.
Furniture With Exposed Legs
Sofas, chairs, and sideboards that sit directly on the floor create a heavy, grounded feeling that makes rooms seem smaller. Furniture with visible legs creates visual space beneath it — the floor reads as continuous rather than interrupted. This is why mid-century modern furniture, with its characteristic tapered legs, works so well in smaller rooms. It’s not just aesthetic; it’s spatially functional.
Keep Sightlines Clear
The human eye assesses room size by finding the far wall. When furniture, art, or clutter interrupts that sightline, the brain registers the room as smaller. In open-plan areas, keep furniture below eye level (85cm seated, 165cm standing) where possible so views can travel to the far end of the space. A lower furniture profile also makes ceilings read as higher — another spaciousness cue.
Vertical Lines Draw Eyes Upward
Vertical striped wallpaper, floor-to-ceiling curtains hung close to the ceiling, and tall narrow bookcases all draw the eye upward and make rooms feel taller. Hang curtains from the ceiling rather than just above the window frame — even in a room with 2.4m ceilings, this simple change creates a sense of genuine height. Floor-length curtains that pool slightly are particularly effective.
Edit Ruthlessly: Less Is Genuinely More
The interior design adage ‘less is more’ is not aesthetic snobbery — it’s spatial reality. Every additional piece of furniture, every extra cushion, every ornament on a shelf adds visual complexity and reduces the perception of space. Be ruthless. Remove half the items from any surface and see if the room doesn’t immediately feel more spacious. You can always add things back; the exercise reveals how little is actually necessary.
A small room that’s been thoughtfully designed will always beat a large room that hasn’t. Master the light, clear the sightlines, choose furniture with presence rather than volume, and edit constantly. These principles work in every Australian home regardless of size or budget.