New proportions

Changing proportions is critical to creating a feeling of space. One way of doing this is to introduce full-height elements such as drapes and mirrors. This means running curtains right from the top to the bottom of the wall over a feature window in a livingroom or bedroom. This changes the sense of proportion in a room, gives a greater sense of height, introduces more elegant lines into the small space and prevents visual cut-off points along the walls.

Keep it simple

Choose simple, striking pieces of furniture rather than those with fussy details and a lot of texture. Instead of trying to fill a small room with a big three-seater, get two or three armchairs which will sit more comfortably in the space. This helps circulation in the room: if you have one large piece of furniture you have to move around it which makes the space feel cramped and congested. Avoid large bold prints on fabrics and choose a range of patterns that have tonal connections in the same room.

Reading the space

Emphasise the height or width of a room with striped fabric running in the same direction. Seek out furniture that is on legs rather than a solid base. This looks better in a small space because the eye can follow the line of the floor and you don't get a sense that the furniture is a block in the middle of the room. Free up clutter in certain corners of the room so that the lines of the space can be read. If your eye can see the full extent of the room it gives a perception of greater space.

Choosing colours

Using light colours on walls and even floors will help light reflect around a room. When picking a colour for walls and furniture, choose one with a good light-reflecting quality. You can have quite strong colours but they need a lot of white in them. In the contract sector we can look at the reference card which specifies how much white and black is in the colour. You can try asking the shop assistant about this or choose a pale colour which will have a lot of white in it. If you use a strong or bright colour on just one wall it adds more visual interest and that helps to extend the space. Dark colours in recesses, such as either side of a fireplace, give a greater sense of depth.

Toning furniture

Larger pieces of furniture, such as bookcases, should tone in with the wall colour rather than contrast with it. This way they become less dominant and more a part of the room.

Altered images

Instead of using an ordinary wall mirror in a bedroom or hall, use one that runs from the floor to the ceiling. This alone gives a better sense of space, and adds to it through the additional light reflection. Mirrors give a feeling of space, especially if they are put beside or opposite a window.

Light fantastic

Creating different areas of light in a room makes it feel bigger. Avoid a central pendant and use a combination of wall, table and free-standing lights. Have a mix of downlighters and uplighters. Experiment with different light levels in various areas.

Changing spaces

Look at storage solutions that don't use floor space, for instance. Position shelves higher up the wall. Where practical, think about removing doors or knocking down part or all of a wall to open one room into another. One large room creates a feeling of space but many apartments are designed in such a compact way, with lots of small rooms, that this option is impractical. If you are able to, look at positioning windows at different levels where they will catch the most natural light.

Too much stuff?

Sometimes apartments lack basic elements such as any (or enough) storage and utility space. The show apartment will look appealing but when it comes to putting your own things into the flat you'll have difficulty working with the space. Show apartments often take a more conventional approach to storage so you need to assess your lifestyle, how you use a space and what elements you actually need to store.

Tidy up

Older items of furniture, such as chests of drawers, often aren't very good at storing modern items such as CDs and magazines so you need to look for neater storage solutions, readily available now, otherwise things tend to pile up on the floor. Look for places where you can have integrated storage - around the bed-head is often a good place - and high-level shelving in a kitchen/dining room will help make more of it.

Orna Hanly is an architect and a museum and exhibition designer. She runs Orna Hanly Architects: Tel 01-872 7766

Emma Cullinan is editor of Select magazine