Small Room Tricks: 15 Genius Ideas That Make a Tiny Room Feel Twice as Big

Small room tricks are pulling huge numbers online right now, as everyone tries to squeeze in space before holiday guests arrive. A tiny apartment ideas video passed about 608,000 views in three weeks, a 344 square foot attic tour reached about 309,000 in twelve days, and a video on making a 10 by 12 bedroom look bigger hit about 248,000 views in just two days. House Beautiful also shared paint tricks for small rooms this week. The best ideas are simple and cheap: more light, more height and more visible floor. Here are 15 genius tricks that make a tiny room feel twice as big..

Small Room Tricks That Make Space Feel Bigger

Living in a small space can feel like a puzzle you never quite solve. The couch blocks the window, the bed eats the bedroom and there is nowhere for guests to sit. The good news is that the right tricks can make a tiny room feel almost twice as big, often for very little money. Many of them are about light, height and seeing more floor. With the holidays coming and guests on the way, now is the perfect time to try a few. Which room in your home feels the most cramped..

You will need: A tape measure, a free weekend and an open mind about moving things around.

How to make it: 1. Take everything off the floor that does not need to be there. 2. Measure your room and your furniture. 3. Pick two or three tricks from this list. 4. Try them one at a time and see how the room feels.

Paint Walls, Trim and Ceiling One Color

One of the paint tricks House Beautiful shared this week for small rooms is wonderfully simple: paint the walls, trim and even the ceiling the same color. When there are no hard lines where colors change, your eye cannot find the edges of the room, so it feels bigger. Soft warm whites and pale colors work best, but a deep color done all over can feel cozy instead of cramped. Use a satin finish on trim so it still wipes clean. Would you try this in a bedroom or a bathroom?

You will need: One paint color in two finishes: flat or eggshell for walls and ceiling, satin for trim. Rollers, brushes and tape.

How to make it: 1. Pick one soft color. 2. Paint the ceiling first. 3. Paint the walls. 4. Paint the trim and doors in the same color with a satin finish.

Hang Curtains High and Wide

Curtains hung right above the window frame make a ceiling look lower. Move the rod up to just below the ceiling and let it stretch well past both sides of the window. Suddenly the window looks huge and the room looks taller. Pull the curtains open past the glass so every bit of daylight comes in. Light linen or cotton in a color close to the wall keeps it airy. It is one of the most loved small room tricks for a reason. How high is your curtain rod right now?

You will need: A long curtain rod, brackets, screws, a drill (adult help), a level and long curtains that reach the floor.

How to make it: 1. Mark the bracket spots just below the ceiling. 2. Extend the rod 8 to 12 inches past each side of the window. 3. Install the brackets with a level. 4. Hang curtains that just touch the floor.

A Big Mirror Across From the Window

A large mirror opposite a window doubles the light and the view. It works like a second window, bouncing sunshine into dark corners. Floor mirrors with an arched top look elegant and need no nails, but they must be secured to the wall with an anti tip strap, especially in homes with kids or pets. Thrift stores often have big mirrors for very little money, which makes this one of the cheapest small room tricks. Would your mirror reflect a garden, a city or a sunset?

You will need: A large floor mirror, an anti tip wall strap kit and a soft cloth for cleaning.

How to make it: 1. Find the wall directly across from your best window. 2. Lean the mirror at a slight angle. 3. Attach the anti tip strap to the wall. 4. Clean the glass so it shines.

Small Room Tricks for Furniture: Pick Leggy Pieces

When you can see the floor under your furniture, the room feels larger. Sofas, chairs and tables on slim tall legs let light and air flow underneath. Bulky skirted pieces that sit on the floor do the opposite. You do not need to buy all new furniture: many sofas can get taller replacement legs that screw right in. Pulling furniture a few inches off the walls also helps the room breathe. Which piece in your home looks the heaviest?

You will need: Replacement furniture legs with matching screw plates, a screwdriver and felt pads.

How to make it: 1. Flip the sofa or chair carefully with a helper. 2. Unscrew the old short legs. 3. Screw in the new taller legs. 4. Add felt pads and set it back a few inches from the wall.

A Fold Down Wall Desk

A fold down desk is perfect for a small bedroom or a guest room that also has to be an office. Open it for work, fold it flat when you are done, and the room is yours again. Many are only a few inches deep when closed. Pair it with a small stool that tucks under. It must be screwed into wall studs because it holds weight, so ask for adult help with the drill. Where would you hide your workspace?

You will need: A wall mounted fold down desk, a stud finder, screws, a drill (adult help) and a small stool.

How to make it: 1. Find the wall studs with a stud finder. 2. Mark the desk height. 3. Screw the desk into the studs with adult help. 4. Test it with gentle weight before using it.

Small Room Tricks Under the Bed

The space under your bed is the biggest hidden closet in a small bedroom. Raise the bed a few inches on sturdy furniture risers and line up matching bins underneath. Store off season clothes, extra bedding or holiday wrapping paper. Matching bins look tidy even when they peek out. A bed skirt can hide them completely if you like. A video showing how to make a 10 by 12 bedroom look bigger hit about 248,000 views in just two days, and smart storage was a big part of it. What would you store under yours?

You will need: Sturdy bed risers, matching fabric or plastic bins with lids, and labels.

How to make it: 1. Lift each bed leg with a helper and slide a riser under it. 2. Check that the bed is level and steady. 3. Fill the bins and label them. 4. Slide them under in neat rows.

Small Room Tricks Overhead: A Shelf Over the Door

The space above a door is wasted in almost every home. A narrow shelf mounted a few inches above the door frame holds books, baskets or extra towels without taking any floor space. It also draws the eye up and makes ceilings feel taller. Keep heavy things off it and screw the brackets into studs. Light baskets are perfect for things you rarely use. Which doorway in your home could hold a shelf?

You will need: A narrow wooden shelf, two brackets, screws, a level and a drill (adult help).

How to make it: 1. Measure the width of the door frame. 2. Cut or buy a shelf a few inches wider. 3. Screw the brackets into the studs above the frame. 4. Add the shelf and light items only.

A Round Table Instead of a Square One

Round tables are a small kitchen’s best friend, and one of the easiest small room tricks to try. With no corners to bump into, they let you walk around easily, and a pedestal base means more room for legs and chairs. A round table also seats an extra guest in a pinch, which is perfect for the holidays. Look for one about 30 to 36 inches across for two to four people. Thrift stores and online marketplaces have plenty. Could you squeeze one more chair in for the holidays?

You will need: A round pedestal table about 30 to 36 inches wide and two to four chairs.

How to make it: 1. Measure the corner where the table will go. 2. Leave about 3 feet around it for chairs. 3. Choose a pedestal base. 4. Add a small vase and a light pendant above if you can.

A See Through Side Table

Clear acrylic furniture is like a magic trick for small rooms. You get a useful side table, but your eye looks right through it, so the room still feels open. It works next to a sofa, as a nightstand or even as a coffee table. Acrylic pieces scratch easily, so use coasters and a soft cloth. Glass side tables do the same job. These are small room tricks that guests often do not even notice. Would you trust a table you can barely see?

You will need: A clear acrylic or glass side table, coasters and a soft microfiber cloth.

How to make it: 1. Pick the spot where a table feels too bulky. 2. Swap in a clear acrylic table. 3. Keep the top simple. 4. Clean it gently with a soft cloth.

A Sliding Door Instead of a Swing Door

A swinging door needs a whole quarter circle of clear floor. A sliding barn style door glides along the wall instead, freeing space for a cabinet, a hamper or just room to move. It works well for bathrooms, closets and pantries. The rail must be fixed into a solid header board and installed by an adult or a pro. Pick a light color to match the wall so it does not feel heavy, a rule that applies to most small room tricks. Which door in your home is always in the way?

You will need: A sliding door kit with rail and hardware, a solid header board, a drill and adult or pro help.

How to make it: 1. Measure the opening and the wall space beside it. 2. Mount a solid header board above the opening. 3. Install the rail with adult help. 4. Hang the door and add a floor guide.

A Window Seat With Hidden Storage

A window seat gives you a reading nook, extra seating and storage all in one spot. Deep drawers underneath hold blankets, toys or shoes. You can make a simple version with low cabinets and a cushion on top. It turns an awkward window wall into the coziest place in the house. Kids especially love it, and it is a favorite among small room tricks. For more ideas to welcome holiday guests, see our cozy guest room ideas. Would you curl up here with a book?

You will need: Two or three low cabinets or a bench with drawers, a thick cushion, pillows and wall anchors.

How to make it: 1. Measure the width of the window wall. 2. Line up low cabinets under the window. 3. Anchor them to the wall. 4. Add a long cushion and pillows on top.

Small Room Tricks for Lighting: Wall Lamps

Nightstands take up a lot of floor in a small bedroom. Plug in wall lamps free up that space and still give great reading light. Mount them on each side of the bed and hide the cords in paintable cord covers so everything looks neat. No electrician is needed because they simply plug into the outlet. Keep cords tidy and away from little hands. Then add a tiny floating shelf for a phone and a glass of water. How much space would you save?

You will need: Two plug in wall lamps, paintable cord covers, wall anchors and a little paint to match the wall.

How to make it: 1. Mark the lamp height on each side of the bed. 2. Mount the lamps with anchors. 3. Run the cords inside the cord covers down to the outlet. 4. Paint the covers to match the wall.

One Big Rug Instead of Several Small Ones

Lots of little rugs chop a small room into pieces and make it feel busy. One large rug that sits under the front legs of the sofa and chairs pulls everything together and makes the floor look bigger. Choose a light, soft color with a subtle pattern. Add a rug pad so it does not slip. It is one of those small room tricks that feels like a full makeover for very little effort. What size rug does your room need?

You will need: A large area rug sized so the front legs of your furniture sit on it, and a non slip rug pad.

How to make it: 1. Measure your seating area. 2. Pick a rug that reaches under the front legs of every seat. 3. Lay the rug pad first. 4. Roll out the rug and set the furniture on it.

A Storage Ottoman That Does Double Duty

Every piece in a small room should work twice as hard. A storage ottoman is a footrest, an extra seat and a hidden blanket box all in one. Put a tray on top and it becomes a coffee table. It is the perfect place to hide remotes, games and throws when guests arrive. This last idea sums up all the small room tricks in this list: fewer things, smarter pieces and more space to enjoy. Which piece will you swap first?

You will need: An upholstered storage ottoman and a sturdy tray.

How to make it: 1. Measure the space in front of your sofa. 2. Pick an ottoman with a lift off or hinged lid. 3. Fill it with blankets and clutter. 4. Add a tray on top for drinks and snacks.