Feeling cramped at home? A top interior designer tells us how to make small spaces feel bigger

Aside from the practical challenges of living in a limited number of square feet, living in tinier spaces has never been trendier. But as designing for smaller spaces can be perplexing, we sat down with renowned British interior designer Katharine Pooley, who is known for her bespoke designs for super-rich clients in China, Kuwait, Qatar and the UK, to hear some of her top tips.

 Some five-minute fixes

Pooley advises going for a sculptural linear glass or mirror top coffee table, as it “will instantly create a spacious feel”. She emphasises the importance of mirrors, especially large mirrors, as they “will lift the interior of your living room and make it seem much bigger”.

Switching to the world of art, she says to consider adding one large statement artwork instead of lots of smaller pieces as they “add drama without overwhelming an interior.” And if you want to freshen up your space, go for the silver or moon gold gilt tray frame for artworks. Another tip is to “repaint timber architraves, doors and skirting to be a bright white or light grey for a quick change.”

Long-term projects

Go big or go home – here are some tips on upgrading your space with some big, pricier and long-term transformations. Pooley suggested to increase the height and width of door openings and to “consider double doors rather than single doors in the living areas”. For elegance and comfort, go for armchairs or sofas with slender stiletto legs as they “lift the piece of upholstery off the floor, giving the illusion of more space”. Moving on to ceiling and walls, Pooley recommends polished plaster “as it has a soft reflective quality, which maximises natural light and makes ceilings seem higher”. Also, “a lit coffer detail with an attractive cornices will give you maximum ceiling height to the centre of the room”.