The demand for office space is steadily increasing but not as much as the rents being charged for them. Whether you're designing a home office or want to make more of a commercial one, here are some easy ways to make your office look bigger.

Declutter

The first and most important way to make your office look bigger is to clear out anything you don't need. Any object, piece of furniture, stationery or item that doesn't contribute to productivity or isn't used very often should be removed immediately. Everything that does have a place should have a place. Use drawers, shelves or cupboard to keep the workspace clean and tidy.

Use a bit of colour

Scientists have known for years that colour can influence our mood, feeling of wellbeing, energy and happiness. Using colour intelligently in an office can offer all these influences to both you and your staff. Dark colours make a space look small while light colours can give the illusion of space. Select colours that will influence the kind of mood you want to create, from energetic to relaxed or something else entirely.

Focal point

Having a single focal point within an office can draw the attention away from the small space onto whatever it is you use. Use a picture window, a piece of art, a feature wall or whatever suits your business and space. Chances are, your staff and visitors will spend more time looking at the focal point than at how small space is.

Smart furniture

If desks and tables are taking up too much space, shop smarter. Consider folding tables, desks that be extended or used for multiple purposes. Have bookshelves that go above desks or under them. Or go all the way and consider hot desking to preserve workspace. There are lots of smart furniture options out there designed specifically for smaller workspaces.

Go wireless

The average office contains miles and miles of cables and wires. Consider wireless keyboard, mice and networks to minimise as much of it as possible. It not only makes the working areas more flexible, wires are an eyesore. Having as many of them hidden or removed as possible will make all the difference to how you feel about the space.

Design in symmetry

Symmetry plays tricks with perception and can draw the eye in predictable ways. Not everyone likes symmetry, but if you want to make your office look bigger, it's one of the primary ways to achieve it. Think even numbers of desks, tables, cupboards, pictures or whatever you use in your space. Try it and see what we mean!

Do you have any clever ways to make your office look bigger? Share them below!