Does wide plank flooring make a room look bigger or smaller?

Does wide plank flooring work in small spaces?by Kelsey Sharland October 31, 2017

Wide Plank flooring is taking over! Whether it is your Dream Home inspiration, your favourite Instagram accounts, or your besties new home it seems to be everywhere! I can't help but think it's for good reason too. Wide plank flooring has this unique ability to add instant character and appeal to any space! If you are like most of us, you are probably sitting there thinking, but will it work for me? My rooms aren't huge and I don't want to make the space look smaller than it already is. 

Contrary to what you might think  - wide plank flooring does NOT make your space look smaller. In fact, in many small spaces, it adds unique visual interest. The wide planks play tricks on your eyes and enhance your space rather than taking away from your design. To be honest, you will spend more time appreciating your wide plank floors to notice anything else in the room, but maybe I am a bit biased! 

Take this Kid-Friendly Space..

This is an extremely small space! You've got poor lighting, painted wood walls, and kids toys throughout. (Let's face it, you've kind of got everything working against you). Do you think the floor looks out of place, congested, or closed in? If you're like us, you probably will agree that it actually enhances the space. The visual interest with the wood grain and the light stain helps to keep this space in line with our style goals but also SUPER kid friendly! (Who says we constantly have to sacrifice our home style for our children?) 

Here are a few tips to enhance your small space:

• Keep it light! Choose light & airy wall colors. Whites, light creams, and grey tones will be your friend. 
• Simplify the space - incorporate some of your favorite items, but reduce bulky furniture and unnecessary items in the space. Incorporate some greenery and pops of color to add personality to the space.
• Make your floors the centerpiece of the room. Hey, who needs excess when your floors stand alone? 

And... In case you still aren't convinced, here are some more stunning small spaces with wide plank flooring to help you change your mind.

So if you are thinking of going wide plank, we suggest just go for it! Don't be shy. Besides, we've never heard any of our Client's EVER regret going with their wide plank flooring. 

Everyone dreams of a magnificently huge house. It is generally believed that a bigger area will offer more freedom to design and decorate as desired. That’s not always the case. We have seen a fair share smaller rooms that have been decorated and renovated to create an illusion of space.

What’s interesting is that there are so many tips you can find to make your room seem bigger. People talk about adding mirrors, bigger windows, better lights, and even the colour of walls and ceiling. We’re surprised how most of them often forget about an equally important element i.e. the floor.

The flooring can play a key role in creating and destroying the illusion you want to create. If you want to make your small room seem bigger, you need to pay attention to the floor. You will be amazed by the difference that one decision can make. Here are a couple of tips you should follow:

Darker Flooring Can Help

Sounds wrong, right? Normally, everyone would recommend lighter colours that reflect light better –but imagine a room that is entirely light coloured. It doesn’t really look good, and reflection from every angle can actually counter the effect.

Now, a darker flooring, especially a wooden one, can add depth to the room, allowing it to look more expansive as compared to lighter floors. Your best bets are oak, walnut, and Brazilian cherry. The theory stays the same in case of other flooring options such as tiles and carpet.

Keep in mind that dark floors will only work when paired with lighter, cooler-toned walls and ceilings. Avoid a stark contrast of colours on the floor as it will be uneasy on the eyes and might make the room seem disturbingly cramped, especially in a rectangular room.

Diagonal Placement Work Better

Another smart way to create an illusion of bigger space is to lay out the floor in a diagonal pattern. It works better than horizontal and vertical placement. The placement should be in a way that the wide part of the pattern faces you when you enter the room. The diagonal pattern tricks the mind and eyes into seeing the space differently and this creates an illusion of space.

From planks to carpets and from tiles to marble, this trick works for all kinds of flooring. Once again, don’t try to make a checkerboard contrast with too many starkly different shades.

Go for Bigger Tiles

If you are going with tiles, go for large size tiles. Smaller ones will make the room cramped. Similarly, for wooden floors, we would recommend wider and longer planks.

Speaking of tiles, it is very important to keep the grout as invisible as possible. It should be a fine line, but not completely invisible. Rectified tiles are your best bet because they really do have an impact on the amount of grout required in between. This is great for folks who want to keep floor maintenance to a minimal.

Avoid Busy Patterns

Many people argue that carpets aren’t the best option for a small room as they cramp with the place. Carpets are just like any other flooring. You just need to be careful about your choices. As we mentioned earlier, doing dark is a good option as it can add depth. So, you can easily go for a dark colour that doesn’t get too dirty too quickly.

However, there are certain types of carpet you should avoid, and that includes carpets with smaller and busy patterns. That gives a disturbing illusion of too much going on in a small floor area. Same goes for tiles. If you want to go for patterned tiles, make sure it is a clean and big pattern with plenty of blank space. Here is an in-depth guide in buying the right carpet.

Throw In a Rug or Two

Many people would say that rugs will just add to the clutter, but that isn’t true. In fact, rugs are great for smaller rooms. You need to pick the right shape and size. Generally, for a bigger space, we recommend more than one rug to create different areas in one room, but that isn’t the ideal way to decorate a room that is already small.

So, go for one big piece or rug in the centre of the room. Leave some floor space around it, as it will make the room appear larger. You can throw in another rug of different colour and shape over the larger rug.

Don’t go for heavy patterns or texture. A lightweight rug in a solid colour is an excellent choice for a small room.

One Pattern across the Home

While this may work for larger homes, it’s not a great idea for small houses or apartments.

If you want to make your room appear spacious, you need to create an illusion of it opening up in another room. This openness is easy to achieve if you have the same flooring pattern continuing into the other room.

So, my motto is: No Room is an Island. It looks better as a part of something bigger, which in this case is your entire home. This simple little trick can make a world of difference.

Leave Some Floor Space

This may not exactly be a flooring related tip, but it is definitely worth mentioning. Some folks think it’s a good idea to add unnecessary clutter by placing too many items on the floor. The floor is virtually invisible, and that makes the room seem unorganized and cluttered. It is best to limit the number of furniture placed on the floor. Choose sleeker and modern furniture instead of bulky furniture.

You can’t make a room bigger, but you can make it appear spacious. Flooring plays a vital role in creating that illusion. It all boils down to keep things clean and clutter-free. Think minimalistic. With the right colour and pattern, you can add depth without compromising the breadth of the room.

Whether you’re in or Feel free to reach out to us for all of your renovation needs! We operate in several locations across the North West such as Manchester & Liverpool.

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