Keep your eyes peeled for furnishings with thin legs and open bottoms (anything that doesn’t crouch low to the floor) The very fact that floor space is visible beneath storage pieces and seating, is a nifty visual trick that can give the impression of extra square footage.

The pale vintage pattern beneath the furniture in this living room nook also functions as its walls. The edges of the rug indicate the boundary between this sitting area and the rest of the home. Instead of floating a smaller piece under a coffee table or between the edges of a sofa and chairs, roll out a gargantuan piece that will cover it completely, then end where the living room does.

Hanging a handful of images at eye level is well and good, but in a room where all space is precious, letting visual interest climb all the way to the ceiling is even better.

When the sliding door that serves as an occasional divider between this living room and bedroom is rolled back, the two spaces function as one, open-plan area. Both spaces share black geometry and blue upholstered pieces helping the two feel as one. Continuity like this makes each of these spaces feel more expansive.