A growing trend in construction is relatively inexpensive housing with a rich feel. That’s what is known as a budget mansion or a McMansion as others have called it. Far from mansions by any account, these houses have the look and feel of a mini-castle or a mini- palace.
When a middle class couple comes to me with ideas that they want their house to follow this trend, I have to think of ways to incorporate certain characteristics into a house without blowing a budget off the map. They want expansive rooms. They want high ceilings, huge daughter. And they want all the luxurious things they can have with their money.
A home like that isn’t hard to construct. It’s just a bit of a challenge finding items these days that add elaborate and affluent to the downsized mansion budget. Chandeliers that have the look of diamonds and brass. Solid wood that says rare import from a far away island. Fireplaces that are prestigious and authoritative. Huge windows, large decks, second story personal patios and beautifully landscaped driveways. All of these things to make the lot at the end of Burrow Street look like it came right out of a British magazine.
I’m going to actually enjoy writing the next few articles because there is so much under this topic that I could write several books. So, each article is going to have a little more about what you can do to make your home look like a mansion on a rather small budget. Today’s topic is making rooms look large.
Expansive rooms are easy enough to plan, but what if the size of the house can’t provide for that large of a room? You have to make the room look large without actually having the space. The technique includes some easy to follow tricks that don’t cost much at all.
First of all, it is a psychological mystery how light colors create the illusion that there is more space in a room. But, you have to learn the mystery of dark and shadow first. Darker colors give the impression of space. So, how you use that in a light room is to trim the room in lighter shades than the colors of your walls. Therefore, if you paint your walls in a light blue or even off-white, trim the room in an even lighter blue or in white. The trim makes the walls seem darker and you’ve created that impression that the walls are further away.
Walking into a room full of mirrors will also give the impression that the room is larger than it is. I once walked into a store in Western Pennsylvania that had mirrors covering the back wall. It gave the impression that the store was twice as huge as it actually was. I was impressed and I’ve used that technique in many of the projects I’ve been hired to complete.
There are so many ways to make a room feel larger than what it is. We’ll continue to explore this and other things about the McMansion trend. But, this is a good start. Paint your walls a light color, trim them off in a lighter color and adorn the room in mirrors that fix fast to the wall. By the time you have that finished, I’ll have more ideas for you.
Jessica Brylan is a home improvement expert. She loves remodeling homes. She has even built a few. In all her work, she has split off into interior design every once in awhile. But, actual construction is her first love. She knows enough to get by with the big guys.