Interior Design

Joanna Gaines' space-enhancing tip will add instant style to your small room

The interiors guru has the solution to a small space, and it's right on trend

Beige living room designed by Joanna Gaines
(Image credit: Courtesy of Magnolia Network)

The enduring question of how to accentuate space in a small room divides designers, but Joanna Gaines has offered a solution that feeds into one of the biggest trends of the season. 

The Fixer Upper star is a self-confessed admirer of oversized furniture – but her enthusiasm stretches beyond this bold aesthetic. Instead, Joanna Gaines praises large decor for its ability to make a small room feel more spacious – and it's a tip that will transform your room – despite the juxtaposition. 

Whether you are looking for small room ideas, to make your living room look bigger or add a sense of scale to your bedroom or kitchen, Joanna's advice will add space and style to your scheme. In an episode of Fixer Upper, Joanna revealed her size-enhancing secret. 

Joanna Gaines attends the arrivals for the 2019 TIME 100 Gala held at the Time Warner Center

(Image credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo)

'In tighter spaces, people think you have to go smaller, but I always like to do the opposite,' Joanna explains. For example, instead of having a medium-sized settee with two smaller cupboards in a living room, it would be better to have a large settee without the extra furnishings. This will make your room feel spacious and look perfectly on-trend. 

Plus, Joanna Gaines isn't the only designer to lust after the larger-than-life furniture trend. Creative Director at Albion Nord, Camilla Clarke, similarly mirrors Joanna's observations, highlighting how 'a small room doesn't need small furniture.' 

She, too, provokes you to consider larger pieces to create a room that is 'so much more inviting' and instantly more spacious.  

Living room with large white sofa designed by Joanna Gaines

(Image credit: Courtesy of Magnolia Network)

Meanwhile, if you are looking to make a small bedroom look bigger, the argument remains the same. Invest in a larger bed and sacrifice smaller furnishings to accentuate the space and pay homage to one of the chicest aesthetics of the year.

Designer Yabu Pushelberg, who has recently launched a large furniture collection with Ligne Roset (below), also mirrors this argument whilst celebrating its comforting 'pillow-like effect.'

Bubbly furniture in a light living room

(Image credit: Pukka Collection/ Yabu Pushelberg)

'The amorphous shapes of plump furniture effortlessly mold into your routine, supporting you and the way you choose to live today,' he adds. This is the interior design trend that will make your space look good – and feel bigger. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.