How to Make a Small Room Feel Bigger With Art

A small room doesn't necessarily need less artwork. In fact, the right piece can make a space feel noticeably bigger.

I've always found this interesting about photography. A photograph doesn't just add something to a wall; it can change the way your eye moves through a room. A wide horizon can create a sense of openness, a strong composition can draw your attention beyond the walls, and an image with plenty of negative space can make a room feel calmer and less crowded.

So if you're working with a small living room, bedroom or hallway, I wouldn't start by asking yourself how little you can put on the walls. I'd start by thinking about what you want the room to feel like.

Choose images that create space

One of the easiest ways to make a small room feel more open is to choose artwork that gives your eye somewhere to go.

This is where photography can be particularly effective. An image of an open coastline, a distant horizon or a landscape stretching into the distance naturally creates a sense of depth. Instead of your eye stopping at the edge of the wall, the photograph gives you another layer to look into.

It's one of the reasons I keep coming back to photographing the ocean. There is something about a horizon disappearing into the distance that instantly creates space, even when you're looking at it inside a relatively small room.

You don't necessarily need a photograph of the ocean, either. Look for images with depth, open areas, clear perspective or a strong sense of distance.

Don't automatically choose small artwork

There's a common assumption that small rooms need small artwork. It makes sense in theory, but it isn't always true.

Several small pieces can actually make a wall feel busier because your eye has to process multiple frames, images and gaps between them. One larger piece can sometimes create a much calmer result.

This is especially useful above a small sofa or bed. Instead of trying to fill the wall with lots of little pieces, consider one photograph that has enough presence to anchor the space.

The goal isn't to make the artwork disappear. It's to make the wall feel intentional.

Pay attention to negative space

Negative space is one of those things you don't necessarily notice until it's missing.

A photograph doesn't have to be filled with detail from edge to edge. An open sky, a stretch of ocean, an empty wall or a simple architectural scene can give an image room to breathe. That same feeling translates into an interior.

If your room is already quite busy with furniture, books, textiles and objects, artwork with a simpler composition can help balance everything else.

And if your interior is relatively minimal, you can afford to choose something with more colour or visual movement without making the space feel overwhelming.

It's not always about choosing less. It's about choosing the right amount of visual information.

Think beyond the wall

The placement of your artwork matters too.

A print doesn't exist separately from the furniture around it. Think about the relationship between the artwork, the sofa, bed, sideboard or other large pieces in the room. A photograph that is too small for the furniture underneath it can feel disconnected, while one with enough scale can make the entire area feel more cohesive.

You also don't have to centre everything perfectly. Sometimes placing artwork slightly off-centre, or allowing it to interact with another object in the room, creates a more relaxed and natural feeling.

Especially if your style leans towards vintage or retro interiors, don't be afraid of a little imperfection. A space doesn't have to look perfectly symmetrical to feel considered.

Use color strategically

Color can also change how a small room feels.

If your space is already quite colorful, you might want to choose artwork that picks up one or two existing tones rather than introducing five completely new ones. This creates a visual connection without making everything match.

But that doesn't mean small spaces need neutral artwork.

A bold photograph can actually be the thing that gives a small room personality. Instead of adding lots of smaller decorative objects, one colorful piece can become the focal point and do much more with less.

This is something I love about photography: color doesn't have to be loud to be noticeable, and a photograph can introduce several tones at once without feeling like you're simply adding another block of colour to the wall.

Learn more about working with colors here!

The best artwork doesn't just fill an empty wall

When you're decorating a small space, it's tempting to think of artwork as something you need to fit into the room you've already created.

I think it's more useful to see it as part of the room from the beginning.

The right photograph can create depth, introduce colour, draw your eye towards a particular part of the room and give a small space a completely different atmosphere. And because photography captures real places and moments, it can also create the feeling of looking beyond the four walls around you.

That is one of the reasons I love bringing coastal photography into interiors. An open horizon, a stretch of ocean or a sunlit landscape can make a room feel connected to somewhere much bigger than itself.

So if you're working with a small space, don't assume you need smaller ideas.

Choose artwork that gives your eye somewhere to go, leave enough room around it to breathe, and let one strong image do more of the work.

Sometimes the easiest way to make a small room feel bigger isn't to add more space.

It's to give your eyes the feeling that there is more of it.

If you're still looking for that perfect piece of artwork on your wall, check out the full collection of Sunside Stories here!