Design line: Spare lines can give a home space to breathe

Room to move - or the illusion of it - can be gained with thought and a light touch

I don't think there is going to be any slipping back into those mild autumn temperatures.

My house had a definite chilly feel the other morning as my night-store meter had turned off. I thought I would touch on space saver options - or their illusions. I work on many homes where people have either downsized or prefer smaller homes so they can enjoy life rather than doing gardens and housework.

Smaller homes require clever storage to work well and, often, rooms are dual purpose because of the shortage of space. Space can be created by the use of furniture and its design, the use of colour and even texture.

Imagine a cosy, smallish lounge, south facing and opening to a dining room through French doors, then on to the kitchen. The house is a 1930s bungalow. A cute lounge has a leadlight bow window wrapping around a window seat covered in rustic deep-buttoned orange velvet, there's a lovely ornate mantel above an open fire and a large mirror above the mantel.

The ceilings are beautiful, ornate plaster with heavy beams, and the room is finished in luscious red, orange, blue, green and a touch of yellow. Heavy velvet curtains puddled on the floor keep out winter chills, and the furniture includes heavy rolled-arm sofas finished in traditional linen floral patterns, grouped around the fire and a coffee table.

The coffee table in the centre has a heavy, rustic timber finish from years of family use.

Under it is a traditional Turkish rug, drawing the together pieces of furniture and partially covering the velvety cut-pile carpet of deep blue.

A chandelier hangs from a central plaster rose, shedding soft light and adding romance to the room as it touches each crystal.

In one corner a unit houses the sound system; a sideboard along the wall opposite the fireplace holds knick-knacks and a cream lamp with gold on the inside. Soft, warm light pools on the sideboard and floor, adding more romance.

The room is inviting and looks very full even though there is little furniture in it. The same room could have a very different feel by changing the colours and furniture.

It would still be inviting but would feel more contemporary.

A lighter coloured carpet would instantly add more space. Painting the heavy ceiling beams a soft white and leaving the ceiling pure white would give the room more height.

Dark beams tend to look heavy but I would leave them in their original state in a house this age, along with the windows and trims if solid timbers have been used - I love the contrast.

By whitewashing the walls or using a light-toned wallpaper, even in a traditional pattern, you push out the walls, creating the illusion of more space. I would leave the fireplace if it is original - unless it is inefficient. Often, a surround can remain intact and a firebox or gas be used instead of wood.

Window treatments can be kept simple and lighter by using blinds and sheers if you want more softness. Blinds can look harsh on their own in a room like this.

If furniture is kept "leggy" and light, it tends to open a space as well.

If you have the same size chair but one piece is a traditional heavy chair and the other is more streamlined, leggy and light in tone, it will appear smaller - though you may find that because of the finer arms, the seating area may be roomier.

If you replace the coffee table with individual side tables that can be folded away, or a nest of tables, you instantly create more space.

Use lighter-coloured fabrics or bold colour with no pattern, just texture or buttons. The colours will pop against the fresh light walls and add visual warmth to the room.