8 Small-Space Tricks to Steal From Landscape Painters
Master the art of making your interior look more spacious with these design techniques
If you’re struggling to make a small space feel more expansive, there’s one place you might not have considered looking for tips: landscape painting. Starting with a blank two-dimensional canvas, a landscape painter must learn to create a sense of depth and distance with only brushes and paint. Using some of the same tricks – like layering, focusing on the foreground and blurring boundaries with plants – you can build a feeling of depth into your small space too.
2. Give your room a misty backdrop
When we look out at a vista in nature, things in the distance appear hazier and slightly bluer than in areas closer to us. Landscape painters employ this effect, called aerial perspective, by using less detail and paler colours in the background. To get a similar effect in your room, try painting the walls a misty shade of blue.
When we look out at a vista in nature, things in the distance appear hazier and slightly bluer than in areas closer to us. Landscape painters employ this effect, called aerial perspective, by using less detail and paler colours in the background. To get a similar effect in your room, try painting the walls a misty shade of blue.
3. Paint the back wall a dark, receding hue
This seems to contradict the previous idea of using a pale, misty blue wall colour – but in certain cases, going dark can actually increase the sense of space. The key lies in contrast: By painting just the back wall a dark, receding hue, you’ll find that the eye is tricked into thinking the room might extend farther into that darkness.
This seems to contradict the previous idea of using a pale, misty blue wall colour – but in certain cases, going dark can actually increase the sense of space. The key lies in contrast: By painting just the back wall a dark, receding hue, you’ll find that the eye is tricked into thinking the room might extend farther into that darkness.
4. Bring the foreground into focus with colour and texture
Just as objects in the distance tend to appear less detailed and more blue, nearby objects look richer in detail and colour. Landscape painters use this to their advantage by including more colour and detail in the foreground of a painting.
Your living room doesn’t have a ‘foreground’ in the same sense, but benefits from a few richly textured items near the entrance, or in the centre of your main seating area. In the space shown here, a kilim-covered ottoman in spicy hues makes a striking foreground focal point.
Just as objects in the distance tend to appear less detailed and more blue, nearby objects look richer in detail and colour. Landscape painters use this to their advantage by including more colour and detail in the foreground of a painting.
Your living room doesn’t have a ‘foreground’ in the same sense, but benefits from a few richly textured items near the entrance, or in the centre of your main seating area. In the space shown here, a kilim-covered ottoman in spicy hues makes a striking foreground focal point.
5. Blur boundaries with plants
In a landscape painting, the artist is limited by the edges of the canvas. Yet, when it’s done well, we viewers believe that the landscape extends beyond the confines of the frame. These boundaries are often blurred by including trees and foliage right up to the edges of the work. Thankfully, this trick is something you can easily pull off at home, with the help of a few lush houseplants. Try clustering tall potted plants in a corner, near a window or in front of a mirror.
Display indoor plants like a pro
In a landscape painting, the artist is limited by the edges of the canvas. Yet, when it’s done well, we viewers believe that the landscape extends beyond the confines of the frame. These boundaries are often blurred by including trees and foliage right up to the edges of the work. Thankfully, this trick is something you can easily pull off at home, with the help of a few lush houseplants. Try clustering tall potted plants in a corner, near a window or in front of a mirror.
Display indoor plants like a pro
6. Put parallel lines to work
Linear perspective is the idea that objects of the same size will appear smaller when they are farther from the viewer. Using parallel lines, whether in a painting, garden design or room, is a tried-and-true way to create a sense of distance as the eye is drawn toward a vanishing point. Put linear perspective to work in your small space by hanging curtains just below the ceiling, putting up a symmetrical grid of artwork or rolling out a rug with vertical stripes.
No-reno fixes to visually lift a cow ceiling
Linear perspective is the idea that objects of the same size will appear smaller when they are farther from the viewer. Using parallel lines, whether in a painting, garden design or room, is a tried-and-true way to create a sense of distance as the eye is drawn toward a vanishing point. Put linear perspective to work in your small space by hanging curtains just below the ceiling, putting up a symmetrical grid of artwork or rolling out a rug with vertical stripes.
No-reno fixes to visually lift a cow ceiling
7. Use the diagonal
A diagonal line covers more space than a horizontal or vertical line, creating a sense of depth and distance. In a landscape painting, a diagonal line might show up in the form of a shoreline angling away and receding into the distance. In your home, use the power of diagonal lines in tilework, a painted accent wall or in the shape of a cathedral ceiling.
A diagonal line covers more space than a horizontal or vertical line, creating a sense of depth and distance. In a landscape painting, a diagonal line might show up in the form of a shoreline angling away and receding into the distance. In your home, use the power of diagonal lines in tilework, a painted accent wall or in the shape of a cathedral ceiling.
8. Add lighting in corners
Like sun shining through trees or peeking over the edge of a mountain range, a few accent lights around the edges of the room can help give a small space depth. Tuck lights behind potted plants or install sconces in dark corners to illuminate the edges of your room.
TELL US
What makes your small space feel larger? Share a photo or tip in the Comments.
MORE
Read more stories on small spaces
Like sun shining through trees or peeking over the edge of a mountain range, a few accent lights around the edges of the room can help give a small space depth. Tuck lights behind potted plants or install sconces in dark corners to illuminate the edges of your room.
TELL US
What makes your small space feel larger? Share a photo or tip in the Comments.
MORE
Read more stories on small spaces
In a landscape painting, layering and overlapping elements are used to create a sense of depth. You can do the same thing in your space by adding textiles, artwork and window treatments for a look that draws the eye deeper into your room. Here are a few ways to get the layered look.
- Hang curtains over blinds
- Layer a medium-size rug over a room-size natural-fibre rug
- Hang or prop up artwork in front of a bookcase
- Load up your sofa with pillows and a throw blanket.
Shop for pillows and throws