Feeling cramped at home? These tips can help open up a room without knocking down a wall!

1. Accentuate the vertical: Draw the eye upward so a room looks more spacious. Add a bookshelf that reaches to the ceiling. Install vertical shiplap or wallpaper with vertical stripes. Hang a pendant light fixture.

2. Consider “see-through” furniture: Choose chairs and sofas with visible legs instead of furniture with skirts that reach the floor. This allows you to see under and around pieces so they appear to float in the room rather than dominate it. Glass coffee tables are a good choice, too.

3. Go big with accents: Many people think small when designing a small room. Instead, add a couple of oversized accessories, like a big piece of art or a single large chair. A lot of little objects make a room appear cluttered while one or two big ones make it feel more spacious.

4. Simplify the color scheme: Use a monochromatic color scheme for walls, furniture, and accessories. When objects are a similar color, your eye doesn’t dwell on each one but rather sees them in a unified, uncomplicated form.

5. Skip the curtains: Curtains block natural light and the view to the outdoors, making a room feel smaller and darker.

Excerpted from Realtor.com magazine