5 ways wooden flooring can make your room look bigger

You’ve likely come across several design tips and tricks that can make a room look and feel bigger. While there are plenty of ideas out there, some are better known than others. One lesser known design element that can make any room look bigger is wooden flooring, especially when chosen and laid with intention.

We all know that wooden flooring has several benefits like adding texture, warmth and character to a room, but what isn’t talked about as much is it’s ability to create the illusion of more square footage, simply by choosing the right floor and laying it in the right way for your room.

Here are five ways wooden flooring can make your space look bigger instantly:

1. Choose wide planks

The wider the plank, the fewer lines cutting across your floor and fewer lines mean less visual clutter. Wide planks create a smooth, expansive surface that tricks the eye into thinking the room is larger. If you’ve got a small or particularly narrow room, wide planks can make a surprising difference.

2. Consider the direction of the planks

The direction of your floorboards matters. Laying wooden planks parallel to the longest wall in your room draws the eye forward, elongating the space. Alternatively, laying planks horizontally will make your space look wider.

3. Opt for lighter shades

Dark woods are cosy, dramatic and beautiful in the right space, but they can overwhelm a small room and make it feel closed in. Light and medium shades of wood or even whitewashed wood reflects more light around the room, instantly making it feel more airy and spacious.

4. Embrace diagonal patterns

Lay your wooden floor planks at an angle on the diagonal but if that feels a bit too out there, go for a herringbone pattern instead. Both diagonally laid planks and herringbone floors naturally draw the eye outward, making your room feel wider and more dynamic. Chevron floors are also an option as they can elongate your space when laid parallel to the longest wall.

5. Keep the flooring consistent

If every room in your home has different floors (whether different shades of wood or laid differently) it visually divides up your space and makes it feel smaller. By using the same wooden flooring across your rooms, you create a seamless flow that feels more open and connected. This is especially important for rooms that are connected to each other or visible from one another as it gives the impression of one large, continuous space.