Your bedroom is your personal sanctuary. It is a space of tranquillity to sleep peacefully, curl up with a good book, or simply relax away from the worries of the world. If you have a small bedroom, you’re not alone. Many people who live in the cities have compact homes. However, with some clever design tricks they can make the space appear bigger.

Tips to make a small room look bigger: From installing sliding windows to using mirrors:

1. Use white or neutral wall colours

   Richard Meier, an American architect once rightly said, “White is the most wonderful colour because within it you can see all the colours of the rainbow.” It’s no secret that white walls make a room look larger, especially if the space has an abundance of natural light. There is a bit of science behind it: saturated palettes absorb light, making the room feel more constricting. Instead, shades of white work wonderfully in creating a warming effect without surrendering its ability to reflect light. Other lighter shades that you can use for painting your walls include pastel colours, light grey, dusty blue and sage green work.

2. Install sliding windows

   Sliding windows can make a room look bigger – they flood your home with natural light and offer an unobstructed view of the outside. When it comes to choosing the material for sliding windows, we would suggest you select window frames made of aluminium. As aluminium is inherently strong, window frames made from the alloy can be slim yet durable – which means you get less frame, more glass and more natural light. When it comes to durability, high-quality aluminium windows can even withstand cyclonic winds. For instance, Eternia windows from Hindalco, Aditya Birla Group are made from Duranium™. Hindalco, one of the largest aluminium manufacturers in India has invented Duranium™ specially for Eternia windows. They are tested to protect your house against:

   • Heavy rainfall leakages
   • Noise disturbances
   • Cyclonic winds
   • Erosive pollution

3. Choose space-saving furniture

   It is undeniable that with small bedrooms, the lesser the furniture, the bigger it will look. You can buy beds with built-in storage beneath or sofa-cum-beds. This goes for all furniture pieces in the bedroom. Choose folding desks and chairs and store them when you aren’t using them.

4. Hang your curtains high

   This trick never fails. Hanging your curtains well above the window rod will always make a small room feel more spacious. You can choose single shade curtains rather than patterned curtains which make a room appear small. Also, you can hang lighter shades of curtains – as they make a small bedroom feel even more bright and airy.

5. Add illusion with mirrors

   Introducing tall mirrors is a solution to make tiny spaces appear larger – since they can expand the sense of visual space. They create an illuminating effect to make the space appear more open and airy. If there is a dark corner in your bedroom, try placing an oversized mirror. This will add dimension to the space.

6. Add a minimalist touch

   A bedroom looks visually bigger than what it actually is if it is organised and clutter-free. Remove extra furniture or decor pieces so that there’s no overcrowding in the bedroom. However, minimalism doesn’t need to be cold or impersonal. Instead, it means filling you home with what matters most to you and your family.

7. Install muted flooring

   Neutral colour floor tiles add an element of brightness to the bedroom. Although wooden flooring and carpet tiles are tempting, they impart a visually heavy look which is a strict no-no in small bedrooms.

8. Use wall sconces instead of floor lamps

   When there is less space, every inch becomes valuable. If you want to decorate your bedroom with artificial lighting, place wall sconces instead of floor lamps – as it will save you some extra surface area.