Have you ever stepped into a small room and felt like the walls were closing in? Or maybe you’ve seen a tiny space that somehow feels open and welcoming? The secret might be under your feet! At Kent Flooring, we know that the right flooring can make a massive difference to how big a room feels and can create the illusion of space where there isn’t much.
Why Flooring Matters for Small Spaces
The floor is the largest surface in any room. It sets the tone for the whole space and can trick your eyes into seeing a bigger area than actually exists. When you’re dealing with a small bedroom, living room, or kitchen, your flooring choice becomes even more important. Good flooring choices can help a room feel more spacious without changing the actual dimensions.
Top Flooring Tricks to Create a Bigger-Looking Space
1. Choose Light Colours That Reflect Light
Light-coloured floors reflect more light around the room, making the space feel open and airy. Cream or beige carpets, pale wood, or light-toned vinyl can all help brighten up a small room. This simple change can make a huge difference to how spacious a room feels.
Think of it like wearing dark versus light clothes – dark colours make things look smaller, while light colours do the opposite! In a small bedroom, a light oak laminate can dramatically change your sense of space by bouncing natural light around the room.
2. Consider Going Dark (Sometimes)
While light colours are usually best, there are times when darker floors can work magic too. Dark floors paired with light walls create a striking contrast that can add depth to a room. This contrast can make the walls seem further away, giving a feeling of more space.
This approach works especially well in rooms that already get plenty of natural light. The key is ensuring the colour scheme balances darker floors with lighter elements elsewhere.
3. Use the Same Flooring Throughout Small Spaces
When you use the same flooring in connecting rooms, you create a seamless flow that makes your home feel bigger. Without the visual breaks of different flooring types, your eye travels further, and the space seems to expand.
This works brilliantly in open-plan areas or between hallways and living spaces. Our luxury vinyl tiles are perfect for this approach as they work well in any room of the house and help maintain a sense of space throughout.
4. Think About Direction to Draw the Eye
The direction you lay your flooring can stretch a room visually and creates the illusion of a larger area:
- For narrow rooms: Lay wooden planks or vinyl strips across the width of the room to make it appear wider
- For short rooms: Run the flooring from the entrance towards the far wall to draw the eye through the space, making it seem longer
- For an interesting effect: Diagonal installation can make any room look bigger by tricking the eye and drawing attention across the entire space
5. Go Bigger with Planks and Tiles to Free Up Visual Space
Larger floor tiles or wider wooden planks can make a small room feel more spacious. With fewer seams and lines breaking up the floor, your eye moves more smoothly across the surface. This creates a less cluttered look that makes the room feel bigger.
Try floor boards or planks that are at least 3 inches wide, or tiles that are 12 inches or larger. This approach works particularly well in small bedrooms and bathrooms where visual clutter can easily make the space feel cramped.
Small Room Ideas: Beyond Just Flooring
While the right flooring is essential, here are some additional small room ideas that work brilliantly with your new floor:
- Use wall-mounted shelves instead of freestanding bookcases to free up floor space
- Choose built-in storage that maximises vertical space in a small bedroom
- Replace bulky bedside tables with floating shelf or wall-mounted options
- Select furniture with legs that allow you to see the floor underneath, creating the illusion of more space
- Add mirrors that reflect your beautiful new flooring and make the room appear twice as big
These storage solutions combined with the right flooring can transform how spacious a small room feels.
Avoid These Small Room Mistakes
Some flooring choices can make a small room feel even tinier:
- Busy patterns that overwhelm the space
- Too many different flooring types in small areas
- Very dark colours in rooms without much natural light
- Very small tiles with lots of grout lines that chop up the visual space
Real-Life Example: The Power of Flooring
One of our customers in Kent had a small cottage with tiny bedrooms. By switching from their old, dark carpet to a light oak laminate floor, the rooms instantly felt bigger and brighter. Adding extra storage with wall-mounted shelving and laying the planks diagonally added even more visual space. The transformation was remarkable – the small bedroom now feels welcoming rather than cramped.
Best Flooring Types for Making Small Rooms Look Bigger
| Flooring Type | Benefits for Small Spaces | Best Colours |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury Vinyl Tile | Waterproof, many designs, seamless look | Light oak, pale stone, soft grey |
| Laminate | Affordable, wide planks available | Light to medium wood tones |
| Carpet | Soft, comfortable, sound-absorbing | Cream, beige, pearl, light grey |
| Engineered Wood | Real wood appearance, stable in different conditions | Natural oak, whitewashed styles |
Clever Storage Solutions for Small Bedrooms
The right storage combined with space-enhancing flooring can transform a small bedroom:
| Storage Type | Benefits | Impact on Sense of Space |
|---|---|---|
| Wall-mounted shelves | Frees up floor space | Makes floor area appear larger |
| Built-in wardrobes | Maximises vertical space | Reduces visual clutter |
| Beds with drawers | Provides extra storage | Eliminates need for additional furniture |
| Floating bedside tables | Opens up floor area | Creates the illusion of more room |
Additional Tips to Maximise Your Space
Flooring is just the start. To make the most of your small room:
- Choose a light colour scheme that works with your new flooring
- Use mirrors to reflect light and create the illusion of more space
- Select furniture with visible legs to see more of your beautiful floor
- Add wall-mounted lighting instead of floor lamps to free up floor space
- Consider multi-purpose furniture that provides extra storage while maintaining a sense of space
At Kent Flooring, we’ve been helping homeowners across Kent, London and the South East create the illusion of space for over 20 years. Our experts can advise on the perfect flooring solution for your small rooms.
Measuring Your Room Correctly
Before choosing new flooring, make sure you measure your room properly. For square or rectangular rooms, simply multiply the length by the width. For irregular shapes, divide the room into rectangles, calculate each area separately, and add them together.
Accurate measurements ensure you get exactly the right amount of flooring and can plan the layout to maximise the space-enhancing effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the absolute best flooring colour to make a small room look bigger?
Light, neutral colours like pale oak, beige, cream, and light grey tend to work best for creating a sense of space. These colours reflect natural light around the room. However, the best choice depends on your room’s lighting and your overall colour scheme.
Does shiny flooring make a room look bigger?
Yes! Flooring with a slight sheen or gloss can reflect more light, enhancing the spacious feeling in small spaces. Our luxury vinyl tiles often have a subtle shine that works brilliantly in small bedrooms and living areas.
How can I combine new flooring with storage solutions in a small bedroom?
Look for opportunities to free up floor space with wall-mounted shelving and built-in storage. Consider beds with drawers underneath for extra storage without taking up additional room space. Floating bedside tables mounted on the wall can create the illusion of more floor area compared to traditional side tables.
What direction should I lay my flooring in a small rectangular room?
For the best space-enhancing effect, lay planks or boards along the length of the longest wall. This draws the eye along the longest dimension of the room. Alternatively, diagonal laying can make a dramatic difference as it draws the eye across the entire space, creating the illusion of width and length.
Ready to Transform Your Small Spaces?
For more advice on making small rooms feel bigger through clever flooring choices, check out the National Design Guide or contact our team today.
With over two decades of experience working with homeowners, architects, property developers, schools and nursing homes across the South East, we have the expertise to help you make your small rooms feel wonderfully spacious.
Visit our showroom in Kent to see and feel our range of space-enhancing flooring options, or book a home consultation today. We can help you find the perfect flooring that makes the most of your vertical space and creates the perfect foundation for a room that feels much bigger than it actually is.
