Extend Me

ith multiple seating areas, a tented or curtained bed, a window seat or built-in banquette, or even just a smartly placed table and chair. In this New York apartment, paint signals an entry. Embrace Change:

Choose elements that switch-hit. Find a table that can function as both a desk and a dining table. Get daybeds or deep sofas that can double as guest beds. A storage ottoman can provide an extra perch, a little table, and a secret hiding place. Invest in pieces that can be rearranged to transform the use of a room: Murphy beds, folding chairs, collapsible or flip-top tables. Pieces like nesting tables and secretaries take up less space than conventional furniture when not in use. Exploit wireless technology wherever possible to make it easy to reposition lighting, speakers, or home-office gadgets. And put furniture on casters, so it's easy to move. Trick Your Eye:

Create an impression of expansiveness by exploiting decorative sleight of hand, from floor-to-ceiling curtains and see-through furnishings to strategically placed mirrors. Make Every Piece Count:

Choose furnishings and decorative elements that offer maximum functionality in minimal square footage. "Use two small round tables instead of one big coffee table," designer Edit
You don't have to display everything. Keep things uncluttered. "Don't fill every inch," designer Chris Barrett says of accessorizing on shelves. "Group your collections and give them room to breathe." "They're better for traffic flow than one of those huge knee knockers, and easier to move." Use Bigger But Fewer Furnishings:

It may seem counter intuitive, but outfitting a small space with just a few large-scale pieces (rather than a mishmash of pint-size furniture) can actually make it feel grander. That said, don't be afraid of filling up the space. When a room is populated with furniture, it actually appears larger. Visual Continuity Creates Calm:

Soothing, even-toned rooms fool the eye into thinking they're more spacious than they are. Customize
Bespoke built-ins, storage nooks, and furniture tailored to your exact needs can utilize every available sliver of space. Create a Jewel Box:

Splurge on sumptuous materials and exuberant treatments. Play up the petite size to heighten the sense of coziness. Give grandeur to subsidiary spaces like hallways with a salon-style hanging of artwork or a library-like installation of books. Think Vertically:

Exploit the often under-utilized space between the tops of furniture and a room's ceiling with hanging or high-mounted elements. They'll draw the eye upward. Take bookcases and cabinets all the way up. Create Sight Lines:

Tear down walls, enlarge windows, or swap solid doors for glass to open up views and connect adjacent spaces. Or create visual stumbling blocks with new walls or strategically placed screens or shelving that force you to take in the space slowly — suggesting that it's larger than it is. Edit:

You don't have to display everything.