The fact that a room does not have an irregular floor plan does not guarantee that it will be easy to decorate, an example of this are those with a narrow and elongated floor plan and that are usually found quite frequently in flats and small houses. If you also have a living room, bedroom, kitchen or bathroom of this type in your home, you should know these 9 mistakes to avoid when decorate a narrow and elongated room.
1.- Paint all the walls white
we already know that white brings light and helps a room appear larger by reflecting light. However, when decorating a narrow and elongated room it is not convenient for all the walls to be white, the ideal is to paint the walls that are farthest away from each other in a contrasting tone.
In this way what is achieved is that the darker walls are visually closer, while the white walls move away, so thanks to this optical effect the room will seem less elongated.
In the renovation of the bathroom in the image above, a dark tone was used for the back wall (you can see the before and after in this link), in this way it was possible to shorten it visually.
2.- Paint all the walls the same color
Maybe we are not interested in painting the walls white because we have a good source of natural light or for some other reason. In this case, the ideal is that the walls furthest from each other have a couple of shades darker than the rest to create the visual effect of zooming in.
In the following image you can see how the back wall has been painted in a more intense green than the rest. In this way, the optical effect of proximity has been created without the walls having contrasting colors.
3.- Place the furniture on the elongated walls
If we support all the furniture on both sides of the longest walls, we run the risk of leaving a small space in the center that enhances the “Hall effect” of the room. To avoid this we have several options:
– Place them along a wall, leaving the one in front free.
– That they “merge” with the wall (they are the same color), in such a way that they go unnoticed.
– That they break the verticality, that is, place some furniture parallel to the narrowest wall (coffee tables, armchairs, the bed…).
4.- Not creating a focal point
The Focal point of a room is where our gaze is directed when entering it. When decorating a narrow and elongated room, we must place the focal point in an intermediate area, for example, a striking hanging lamp can be placed in the center of the room so that the eye does not focus on the depth of the room. Another option is to place a painting or mural on one of the elongated walls and draw our attention, in this way the eye is “distracted” from the proximity of the walls since it only focuses the view on one of them.
One of the walls could also be covered with brick, you can see several examples at this link.
5.- Great walk or not walk
Another common mistake is choosing standard size furniture. In a room where every centimeter counts, opting for an 80-centimetre-wide bed instead of a 90-centimetre one, or a 1.80-meter-long sofa instead of a 2.10-meter one, is a freeing up of space. , or place shelves instead of a large bookcase… On the other hand, if we place suspended furniture on the longest wall, we will bring a sense of continuity to the floor, making it appear a little wider.
6.- Not taking into account that less is more
It is possible to have all the furniture we need if we “condense” it, that is, if we look for some kind of convertible cabinet that can perform various functions. In the following image you can see how two beds and a work area have been placed in a small space.
You can see examples of convertible furniture for the living room at this link.
7.- Do not play with patterns
You have to play with textures and prints on upholstery and accessories in order to attract the gaze (or distract it) towards the central part of the room. Patterns should be avoided on the walls furthest from each other, for example patterned curtains over a window if it is at the back of the room, but a patterned rug can be placed in the center of the room as seen in the following image, or an armchair if it is somewhere in between.
When decorating with striped patterns, avoid horizontal lines that direct the gaze towards the back of the room. On the other hand, if you like geometric prints, you can see several examples at this link.
8.- Do not use mirrors
mirrors help multiply space, if we place them on the longest wall or walls, we will make the room appear wider than it really is. We can use them in any room: in the living room, bedroom, bathroom… since there are different creative ways to do it, such as in the next bedroom, where they have been placed on both sides of the wall and even on the furniture ( chest of drawers on the right).
9.- Not taking into account lighting
Another fundamental aspect when decorating a narrow and elongated room is knowing how to light it correctly. To avoid the «cave effect» it is necessary to complement lighting ceiling with sconces and wall lamps on the longer walls, thus making the room appear wider when there is no natural light.
Lighting at ground level or under suspended furniture should not be ruled out either, as it will help create continuity and make it look larger.
have you done any of these 9 mistakes when decorating a narrow and elongated room? If so, you already know that you learn from mistakes, so you still have time to solve it and apply all the keys to make the room seem more spacious.
If you liked this post, you can find many more decoration ideas at .
