Buying your first home is a big moment for everyone. Unless you are very lucky, your first home is likely to be quite small. You may be limited in space but that doesn’t mean your home has to lack style and beauty.

Cool colors on walls such as off-whites, creams, and light colors, can make them appear to recede, and so make the room seem larger and more spacious. Additionally, painting walls and ceilings the same color allows your eye to travel around the room more freely, creating cohesion across all surfaces as well as the illusion of more space. Even with a white ceiling, you can create a continuous flow by painting baseboards and picture rails the same color.

Mirrors are a great way to make a room seem larger but should be used in a certain way. Having a massive mirror that takes up a whole wall could look a bit tacky so go for placing regular-sized mirrors opposite paintings or other features to emphasize them. Mirrors can make a small space look larger, but it’s not that simple: they function best by reflecting light, be it the light color of the wall, or light from a window. Be aware of what gets reflected in your mirror by standing in different positions in the room.  I have seen mirrors actually decrease visual space because they are a solid, heavy wall or piece of furniture, but placing a mirror directly opposite a window can open up a room by a massive degree.

Natural light is also so important. Having bright sunlight coming into your home is a great way to add character to a simple room.

When choosing furniture, look for pieces that are light in color and have separate legs rather than solid bases. Lighter colors occupy less visual weight and legs provide an unobstructed view of the floor, allowing space to appear more open.

Cabinets with built-in storage are a fantastic choice, as you can tuck away your magazines and clutter to make sure you’re making the most of all the available space. Bare wood floors in lighter tones also add to a clean, spacious feeling.

One mistake people often make when decorating a small living room is to either over or underfill it with furniture that’s too large or too small. If you choose lots of furniture that’s too small, the room will feel both bare and cluttered – definitely not what you’re going for! A single large piece such as a sofa can make the room feel cozy, but more than that will make it feel crowded and overwhelming. It’s really important to get the balance right!

You could aim to utilize space by buying a few really nice pieces of furniture rather than lots of cheaper features. Spending slightly more on a tropical fish tank could be a great feature that will make a simple room appear interesting and unique.