For many of us who live in cities, it’s hard to find a place that has a lot of spacious rooms to rent or to buy at an affordable price. While small apartments can still provide all the space you need, sometimes it’s nice to feel as though you just have a bit more room.

While you can’t physically extend the space in your home, there are some clever tricks you can try with your lighting to make it appear larger.

Republic World recently offered some advice on how to do this, so if you feel as though your home could do with brightening up and feeling a little more roomy, why not try one or two of their suggestions?

First up, think about getting rid of those dark corners. You don’t want to have pockets of your living room looking dingy as this will make the whole room feel smaller. You equally don’t want them to be lit up with bright white lights though, as this removes any cosiness from the space.

So, what’s the middle ground? Ambient lighting. Uplighter floor lamps or sconce lamps are the perfect solution to bring a little more illumination to those parts of the space, without flooding it with too much light.

Think about having smart dimmable light bulbs in your light fittings too, as this will allow you to adjust light levels to suit different scenarios.

If you have a room that often feels like it’s lacking in light, hang a mirror or two on the walls. These features bounce light around and are a tried and tested way of making small spaces feel bigger.

Think carefully about the placement of any mirrors to make the most of this effect. Positioning them opposite windows or tall lights can be a great way to help move light around a space.

Another great way to introduce a bit more light into a room is to fit mini lights over framed photos or pictures. This not only highlights the artwork on display, but will add subtle pools of light around a room. Don’t go overboard with these, but one or two in key areas could really help to make your home feel a bit larger and lighter.

Seen in the City recently offered some tips on how to decorate your home in an elegant way. It stressed the importance of lighting in your home decor, noting that it’s not something you should underestimate.

“If you have bright, harsh lights it can make a room feel a bit clinical, rather than cosy and elegant. Instead, invest in a few statement lamps or light fixtures - they really have the power to instantly transform a room,” the publication asserted. 

If you’re going for elegance in your property, it’s important not to go overboard with colour when you’re decorating. Choose a simple colour palette that you can use throughout your home, adding pops of colour using accessories.

This will not only create the elegant atmosphere you’re looking for, but will also make it incredibly easy to change the appearance of a room simply by swapping out some of the accessories.