Sarah Baeumler's 10 Staging Tricks That Will Make a Tiny Room Look Bigger

Many of us have a room in our home that is smaller than we’d like it to be. Unless we knock down walls and take on a larger renovation, we just have to live with it. That’s okay. Sometimes the best things come in small packages – it might just mean you have to reevaluate its use and/or rethink the way in which you will decorate it. Here are a handful of strategic home staging tips to maximize a tiny space when looking to sell.

Sarah Baeumler has an eye for all things design. She has starred in Home to Win, Bryan Inc. and Island of Bryan alongside Bryan.

Published October 22, 2018, Updated October 17, 2021

neutral living room with couch and coffee table

HGTV Canada

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Furniture That’s to Scale

People often attempt to fit oversized furniture into a small space. This will only make your small room look even smaller. Invest in furniture that fits the size of the space you have, as we showed in this cozy Island of Bryan living room (here’s a handy furniture price breakdown).

Green sofa against a bay window in a small white living room

Lauren Kolyn

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Less is More

Just as you typically shouldn’t add large furniture to small spaces, it is also important not to fill a tiny room with too many items. Keep furniture and decor to a minimum. These 10 design mistakes are making your home look cluttered.

Mirror against white wall with a small table in the forground

Lauren Miller

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More Mirrors

Creating a sense of spaciousness is often a matter of creating light where there isn’t much. Mirrors are an excellent way to bounce light around and visually expand your living space.

cozy white living room with a white fireplace

Unsplash

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Befriend Solids, Not Patterns

Patterns can make a space look busy and result in a cramped feel. Instead, opt for solid shades that will lend a sense of spaciousness. Here are 10 painting secrets to help sell your home.

bedroom with draperies reaching to the ceiling

HGTV Canada

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Create Height

Creating space isn’t just about square footage – height can add to a room’s sense of size as well. One trick is to hang drapery right up to the ceiling, which will naturally draw the eye upward and make the room feel taller, as Samantha Pynn and Sebastian Clovis show with floor-to-ceiling window treatments in this Family Home Overhaul bedroom.

small multi-function space with pot lights on ceiling

HGTV Canada

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Use Pot Lights and Sconces

When possible, avoid using floor or table lamps in small spaces as they take up space. Pot lights and sconces are the best way to increase the amount of floor space you have for the essential items, as Brian McCourt and Sarah Keenleyside show with this compact Backyard Builds space. Check out these 8 cool lighting trends that will transform any room.

kitchen viewed from in front of island with three clear and chrome stools

Tracey Ayton

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Glass or Lucite Furniture/Accessories

Using translucent materials is a great way to add light to a small space. Introducing mirrors or lucite furniture pieces to a room is a simple and effective way to do this. For more inspiration, here are 12 ultra-chic acrylic pieces you’ll love.

Modern neutral peach and white bedroom with subtle hits of colour and pattern

Lauren Miller

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A Neutral Colour Scheme

Keep any colour scheme neutral. Bold colours in small spaces can create a sense of cosiness, but it won’t necessarily make your room feel more spacious.

Kitchen wall with two wood shelves with plant on bottom shelf

Lauren Miller

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Use Light Woods or Stones

If you want to add natural materials to your small space, use lighter woods and stone. Again, this will lend a sense of airiness and therefore an impression of more space.

cozy white basement suite with wall art and woven dresser

HGTV Canada

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Acrylic Art

Adding art to a small space is a good idea, but you don’t want it to engulf the room. By using acrylic art you can add large pieces without it feeling oversized (as Samantha Pynn and Sebastian Clovis show in this Save My Reno basement). Acrylic art often has a sheen to it, so it will also reflect light.