Manufactured homes are an ideal solution for many families facing economic challenges. In fact, they make up over 6.5 percent of all housing in America. Sometimes, people contemplating whether to live in a manufactured home often worry about the rooms looking too small. Fortunately, there are several ways to make rooms appear larger. If you're considering a manufactured home, here are some ways to visually enlarge rooms.

Living Rooms

Using lower furniture can give an illusion of height. You don't want furniture containing large rolled arms. Instead, choose armless furniture, as you want to free up as much space as possible. Your furniture should have straight sides so that it looks like there's plenty of breathing room. Some of the best types of furniture include:

• Round ottoman or coffee tables
• Nesting tables—Store them under your main table when not entertaining house guests.
• Lucite tables and clear glass lamps—By keeping items looking crystal clear, the eye moves more freely throughout a room, taking up less visual space

Bathrooms

To make a bathroom seem larger than it is, paint the walls with soothing colors. Include coordinating shower curtains and towels, as monochromatic rooms render a spacious look.

Most bathrooms in manufactured homes have at least one cabinet located underneath the bathroom sink. Installing shelves above your toilet and using rings, rather than bars, helps save space in your bathroom. Instead of having cabinets with hinges, select cabinets that have sliding doors.

Bedrooms

Your bedrooms don't have to look cramped. For example:

• Use areas for shelving that are typically overlooked, such as underneath beds.
• Buy beds containing compartments for built-in storage.
• Select plain comforters, rather than patterned blankets, as this helps to make a bedroom look larger.
• Keep bedrooms clutter free.

Considerations and Warnings

• Limit your number of accessories.
• Hang blinds and curtains closer to your ceiling to make your windows look larger and your ceilings taller. Positioning artwork higher can also make a ceiling look higher.
• Use bench seating and a collapsible table for a small dining area.
• If you have paneling, you can easily paint it to give your walls a more updated look. Use plenty of primer and white semi-gloss paint to create a fresh, welcoming appearance. 
• Paint your ceilings a lighter color than your walls. The best color is white, high-gloss paint as it reflects light and makes a ceiling appear less stagnant. 
• Include floor lamps, which work well with low ceilings and restricted spaces. You can easily move them in any direction for lighting purposes.
• Make use of table lamps, which are also excellent lighting choices. By spreading light throughout a room, table lamps can make a small space look larger and more attractive. 

These are only a few decorating ideas. If you want to learn more about manufactured homes, contact M & W Manufactured Home Sales or a similar company.