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	Introduction Space is the ultimate luxury and the height of conspicuous consumption - it keeps us climbing the property ladder. But for those of us who occupy small, often badly lit spaces, there are design rules that we can apply to create the illusion of space.

In this article

Space tricks

In this section, there is advice on how to improve the layout of the bathroom, bedroom, dining room, kitchen, living room and office. There's also an invaluable guide to creating a room plan.

But before you go into the details, what are the tricks you can use to create the illusion of space? Take a fresh look at the space you have, could you make it more stylish, or make better use of it? It's impossible to physically make a room bigger, but it can be made to feel bigger. To do this, you need to delude your brain - trick it into thinking the space is bigger.

Go out and come back into your room and take a fresh look. Decide what purpose the room is going to be used for and what your eye is drawn to - what's the focal point? Is it what you want it to be, or does it need to be changed?

• Windows - these can have the effect of expanding a room. Placing an eye-catching object in front of a window, such as a statue or a plant, will draw the eye and extend the view. Think of it as a cheap extension.
• Pattern - our virtual room will give you ideas on how pattern can increase the feeling of space in a room.
• Colour - certain colours can expand a room, while others will make it seem smaller?
• Soften the edges - place a picture in the centre of a wall to draw the eye away from the edges of the room. Paint the skirting boards in a similar colour to the carpet to make the floor appear bigger.
• Furniture placement - move furniture away from the walls. This shows up more floor space and stops the eyes wandering to the corners, so the room appears bigger.
• Lighting - emphasise the good points and hide the bad with clever placement of lights.