With time, the responsibility of a large house can become more work than it’s worth. A lot of people choose to move to a new, smaller spaces once their children have moved out. These fresh living areas can present certain decorating challenges: namely, a lack of space. Here are 13 design tricks to maximize the room you have in your house or apartment. They don’t require renovations or technical knowledge.

Play with proportions




There is no rule saying all your furniture needs to be similar in size. Your space can look more complete and less crowded if you play with different dimensions.

Allow furniture to define spaces, not room dividers




Instead of using room dividers or walls to divide an open space, use carpets or rugs to define different functions in a room. That way the upper part of an open plan space is undivided.

Use curtains to hide objects



Some items can’t be stored away because you need them daily but at the same time you don’t want to leave them in plain sight. A curtain is the perfect solution to stash away those unsightly items. Choose a color that blends into your decorating theme as not to draw attention to it.