Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that you’ll get a room of perfect size that meets all your needs and is “just right” when you acquire your ideal living space.
Sometimes rooms are too small for their intended purpose, and sometimes they are so big that they quickly appear huge and empty.
Fortunately, with a few decoration tricks, you can make any room feel less empty without too much stress or expense.
To make a room feel less empty, try covering the walls and floor and directing the eye upwards with tall lamps, adding cozy elements like plants, pillows, or books, and moving your furniture away from the wall.
Let’s discuss some simple ways to make a large, empty room feel less empty and cozier and more intentional. By implementing one or more of these tips, you can design any room to be just right for you!
Contents
1. Cover the Walls
Wall coverings are a great opportunity to influence how big a room feels. So, if your room feels too big and empty, adding something on the wall can distract and help create the illusion of a fuller space.
Additionally, wall coverings are a great opportunity to showcase your style, as there are many different ways to cover a wall. Here are some suggestions:
- Create a gallery wall to display your favorite pictures or posters.If you have many photos that you love and want to showcase in your home, this is the perfect opportunity! To create a gallery wall unique to you and your style, gather your favorite pictures, art prints, typography prints, and more in different sizes. Then, find matching frames for them, arrange them on your wall, and enjoy!
- Choose a wall tapestry that matches your style.Wall tapestries are also a great way to show your taste in decor. A large and thoughtfully placed wall tapestry can make a room appear significantly fuller. If your design style leans towards boho-chic, consider this handwoven boho wall tassel from Mkono available on Amazon, as it is handwoven from high-quality material and an ideal statement piece to bring comfort and harmony to any room.
- Add dimension to the wall with curtains.Curtains are not just for windows! You can hang curtains on a wall to add interest and dimension to the space.
- Commission a local artist for a large painting or mural.One of the best ways to fill walls is with art, and what better way to get that art than by supporting a local artist? A mural is a unique way to fill any room, no matter how empty it may be.
- Add visual interest with captivating wallpapers.Printed wallpapers not only make your room look more beautiful or interesting but can also make it appear fuller. For even more dimension, choose a wallpaper that creates the illusion of texture.
Dressing up a wall with one of the above methods is a great way to showcase your creativity and style and make a room feel fuller than it is.
2. Add Tall Floor Lamps
One of the most effective ways to make a room appear fuller is to direct the eye upward, especially if the room also has high ceilings.
This way, the eye can naturally wander through the space without focusing too much on how empty it may be.
One of my favorite methods to achieve this is by finding some tall floor lamps because they are beautiful and functional.
I like this unique PAZZO Industrial Floor Lamp from Amazon because it is visually interesting and adds industrial flair to any room.
I also like that it includes LED bulbs that last up to 2,500 hours and that the heavy base is sturdy enough to prevent the lamp from tipping over, even in a house full of kids and pets.
Another great option is this Brightech Maxwell Modern Shelf Floor Lamp from Amazon. With this piece, you not only get the functionality of the lamp, but you also get additional shelves to display trinkets and books to distract from the emptiness in the room.
I also like that this piece is compatible with smart outlets, including Alexa, Google Home Assistant, and Apple SmartKit.
3. Add Plants
Another great way to make a room appear less empty is to bring it to life – quite literally! Plants are an effective and fun way to add visual interest to a room, and plants that crawl or take up a lot of space can help make a room appear fuller and lusher.
Here are my recommendations for the best plants to add to your room:
- Snake Plant.Snake plants are a great starting point if you’ve never owned a plant before. Not only do they grow tall, making your room feel less empty, but they are also incredibly low-maintenance. When it comes to houseplants, snake plants are among the easiest to care for!
- Spider Plant.These are perfect for filling an empty space as they can grow wide and long. Placing them on a bookshelf or table allows their leaves to dangle in the air and take up even more space. These are also very social plants, so you can cluster them together without hindering their growth. Having an abundance of plants can help make the room feel fuller.
- Dracaena.Dracaenas are large plants that can take up a lot of space. They are also tolerant of drought, so you don’t have to worry about watering them every day.
Plants can help make any room feel cozier and more vibrant. So why not give it a try and adopt a plant parent?
4. Add One or More Rugs
Just as covering a wall can help make a room appear less empty, covering the floor can have the same effect. A large, eye-catching rug will make even the emptiest room look its best.
I like this Artistic Weavers Odelia Vintage Bohemian Area Rug from Amazon. The vibrant colors and pattern of the rug add visual interest to your room and make it appear fuller.
I also like that this rug is stain-resistant and easy to clean. So if you have pets or kids or can sometimes be a bit clumsy, you won’t have to worry too much about spills.
Another option is to choose multiple rugs that you like and create the equivalent of a gallery wall on your floor. This unique option is sure to fill the room within a room.
To prevent the selection from looking too arbitrary, make sure that all the rugs have something in common, whether it be color or pattern.
5. Use Many Pillows
Large, empty rooms just don’t feel as cozy as full or cluttered rooms, so one of your goals when trying to make a room appear less empty is to add as much coziness as possible! And what’s cozier than pillows?
I recommend buying decorative pillows in different colors and patterns and adding them to your sofa to bring color, texture, and visual interest to your room. This helps create the illusion of fullness.
6. Create a Seating Area or Reading Nook
If you can afford to buy new furniture, adding more seating is an idea to make a room appear less empty.
I love the idea of transforming a corner of the room into a cozy reading nook with an ottoman or a unique chair.
Creating a corner also visually separates that area from the rest of the room, benefiting the rest to appear smaller and therefore less empty.
I love this ACMEASE Velvet Accent Chair from Amazon.com. It comes in five colors, but my favorites are pink and teal.
I also like that this chair has an adjustable backrest and armrest, allowing readers to customize it for maximum comfort while reading.
The buttons on the feet are also adjustable, so you can make it as tall as possible or as short as you like.
7. Move Your Furniture Away from the Wall
A subtle trick to make a room appear less empty is to make the room appear smaller by moving the furniture a few inches away from the wall.
When all your furniture is flush against the wall, it leaves a lot of space between each piece, contributing to the perception of emptiness.
However, by moving all your furniture a little away from the wall, it reduces the distance between each furniture piece and creates the illusion that the room is smaller and fuller.
8. Showcase Your Books
Some people think that the word “clutter” has a negative connotation, but I love a little bit of organized clutter. It also helps make any room feel more lived-in and less empty.
One of my favorite methods to declutter a room is to display books on a bookshelf or shelves. Books come in various colors and sizes, so they can bring a little chaos to a room that feels lifeless.
Additionally, when you add a bookshelf or shelves to your room to display books, you can also add various trinkets and other objects to create visual interest and distract from the feeling of emptiness.
Have a conversation-starting piece from your travels or a random find from a thrift store? Now is the time to get people talking!
Displaying books works especially well for the room if you’ve decided to create a reading nook, so don’t be afraid to do both!
9. Keep It Stylish with a Bar Cart
To add more clutter, consider a bar cart! A styled cart can give your interior an interesting look, and you can showcase your cocktail mixing skills the next time you have guests over.
I like this Ohsuaniy Bar Cart available on Amazon.com because it comes with detachable trays, two wine racks, glass holders, and a large bottom shelf that can hold an ice bucket or a six-pack of beer bottles. I also like the metal frame and wood veneer, which give it an elegant and industrial look.
I also like this ASYA Gold Bar Cart from Amazon if you prefer something more delicate. This cart comes with three sets of glass holders and a wine rack that can hold up to four bottles. So if you’re a wine drinker, this is a great option.
The shelves are spacious enough to hold everything you need, and the 360-degree rotating wheels make the cart easy to maneuver, so you can easily experiment with placement.
Once you have the cart, you’ll need to fill it with the essentials. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Alcohol.If you have a favorite liquor, try experimenting with different flavors and varieties. For example, vodka comes in many different flavors, so you can make all kinds of mixed cocktails. If you’re a tequila drinker, you should have at least one bottle of blanco and one bottle of reposado.
- Mixers.To make cocktails, you’ll need various ingredients, including bitters, vermouth, syrups, grenadine, sour mix, juices, soda water, tonic, and more. If you feel overwhelmed, start with the basics. For example, a gin and tonic only requires gin, tonic water, and a lime or lemon slice. To make rum and coke, you only need … well, you know!
- Cocktail shaker set.You’ll need some tools to prepare your drinks, so a mixology set is a must. I recommend this Mixology & Craft Mixology Bartender Kit from Amazon because it has everything you need to make great cocktails, including a jigger, muddler, strainer, shaker, and ice tongs. I also like the elegant bamboo display it comes with.
- Glassware.Once you have the drinks, you’ll need something to serve them in! Wine glasses and a variety of differently shaped glasses are a must.
- Ice bucket.Most drinks are best served cold, and you’ll need ice to shake drinks, so don’t forget to have an ice bucket at hand. Also, don’t forget the tongs to hygienically pick up the ice.
- Garnish tray caddy.The best cocktails come with garnishes, whether it be stuffed olives, a lime slice, a maraschino cherry, an orange slice, or some other delicious treat. To keep all these garnishes organized, you’ll need a caddy.