The Seamless Curtain-Wallpaper Trick That Makes Any Room Feel Bigger

Stuck in a small space for the foreseeable future? We get the frustration. You never want a room to feel cramped or stuffed. In comparison, spacious, airy rooms feel inviting and luxurious. Thankfully, there are tons of design hacks that can make even the most compact of rooms seem palatial. Maybe you've already tried some of the classics, like using mirrors to make your small space look bigger or borrowing the wisdom of tiny homes to maximize small spaces. But there might be a simple one you haven't tried yet with your window treatments.

By using curtains that are the same (or nearly the same) shade as your wallpaper, you can seamlessly blend the two enough that it's tough to tell where the wall stops and the curtains begin. The same goes for patterned wallpaper — if you find curtains with a pattern and color that complements the wallpaper, you can add depth and intrigue while still establishing that visual continuity. The end result? A room that appears to be bigger than it is, since the eye is following the flow of the room rather than stopping to take in distractions. This is a much better option than using dark curtains with light walls (or vice versa), as that would chop up the space and not make it feel cohesive.

This matching technique isn't quite as drastic as the color drenching trend that has homeowners painting every surface of a room the same color. But it is a cool way to leverage color to maximize space. It can be difficult to match the color of a curtain exactly to your wallpaper, but try to get as close as possible. When in doubt, opt for a curtain that's a tad lighter than the wall, since lighter curtains allow more light to enter the room (thus enhancing the effect of making the room seem bigger). 

To boost the visual effect even more, opt for curtains in lightweight, airy fabrics. Additionally, keep them hung above the window frame. Along with drawing the eye upward to make it seem like there's more vertical space, the flowy material will help blur those lines between the window and the wall even more.

If you want patterns for your wallpaper and curtains, some brands offer perfectly matching wallpapers and fabrics, including F&P Interiors. Otherwise, look for patterns that complement each other — and don't forget to stick with the principle of keeping curtains as breezy as possible. For instance, you could use a silk leaf-patterned curtain to complement a wallpaper featuring lush garden scenes, both primarily in similar shades of green. While not too matchy-matchy, the patterns are harmonious enough to give tons of dimension while still allowing the eyes to glide effortlessly across the walls and windows, giving the illusion of more space.