Thanks to the incredible escalation of property prices over the past few decades (something the Boomers cannot blame on the Millennials, for once), owning a large house or property is now more costly than ever.

Because of this, we’ve all become a little craftier in terms of creating a home that feels bigger than it really is, which helps to reduce stress and tension.

Stor-Age, who knows a fair bit about getting the most out of a space, has listed five basic design tips that you might want to consider.

Choose your décor wisely

We all need some décor but cluttering your smaller home with excessive items will do the opposite of creating a relaxing environment. Use mirrors and glass as they are synonymous with creating a sense of space and the illusion that there is more to the room than exists.

When choosing furniture for your home, don’t forget about using the height. Choose furniture with legs, opt for a lofted bed and oversized art – this all draws the eye upward, adding length to the room.

Paint your walls in light colours

When you paint your walls in light colours it allows for the light in the room to reflect and create an illusion of space, while darker colours make a room feel smaller. If you want to make the room appear larger, choose whites or monochromatic schemes of greys, creams and yellows. Lighter, cool colours will encourage a feeling of openness.

Take advantage of natural light

One of the easiest ways to open up space in a home is to take advantage of natural lighting. This can easily be done by uncovering windows or using sheer coverings. Not only does this add a bright airiness to the room but it also expands the space of the room to include the outdoors.

How you choose to hang your curtains also plays a role in the amount of light that enters the room and how much space the room appears to have. Shorter curtains that fit your window perfectly have the potential of stunting the length of the space. Choosing to hang your drapes near your ceiling and extend them past the window frame can add to the illusion of larger windows and a greater space.

Declutter

Minimalism is growing in popularity both as an aesthetic trend as well as an uncluttered lifestyle. Decluttering your space has the potential to make a room feel significantly larger. If you want to declutter start by discarding items that you no longer want, donate quality items that you no longer have use for and strategically and safely store items that you plan to use at a future time (or hold too much sentimental value to discard).

The last of these groups of belongings can be the trickiest to deal with. Where do you store items that you don’t have space for in your home? The answer is incredibly simple – self storage.

Sometimes you have to be ruthless, and turf things out. When that’s not possible, swing past a Stor-Age outlet, score 50% off your first month’s rental, and avoid having to make those tough life decisions for a while longer.

Layout

Simply laying out your furniture strategically can make the world of difference to the space in your home. Some tips for layout include never allowing furniture to block pathways or light sources, filling up corners of the room with the likes of a corner bookshelf and prioritising large furniture items, planning smaller pieces around them.

Creating a sense of space in your home can make a remarkable difference in achieving that stress-free sanctuary so many of us are after.

Ah yes, serenity.

You should also then have enough space to practice that new form of yoga someone told you about recently.

Everyone’s doing it, Karen.

Namaste and blessings upon your home.