How to Decorate the Interior of a Bungalow

Paint the insides of the house light colors. Light colors open up a space, making it look bigger.

Create a focal point in each room. This draws the eye and brings visual order to the space. Some possible focal points include a window seat, a built-in bookcase or a fireplace. Center your furniture around these points.

Keep clutter to a minimum. Clutter makes a room look smaller. If you have trouble keeping it under control, find ways to hide it. For example, hang a curtain in front of the bookcase you use to store your arts and crafts items. Throw a long tablecloth over a table and hide boxes underneath.

Opt for two sofas in your living room or den instead of the standard couch and two chairs setup. The former arrangement seats more than the latter.

Buy double-duty furniture. Get an ottoman with a hidden storage compartment. Opt for a trunk instead of a coffee table. Look into a loft bed for your bedroom.

Open up the window area by hanging swag curtains plus some Roman shades. The swag only covers the top portion of the window, and you can roll the blinds all the way up under the swag to hide them when they're not in use. This setup allows more light into the room, which makes it look bigger.

Hang mirrors on the wall. Mirrors brighten a room and open it up by reflecting the room's light. Choose one large mirror for a focal area such as the space above the fireplace, and small mirrors throughout the house. Hang sconces next to the mirrors or position them near windows or lamps. Hanging a mirror opposite a window or major room light source provides the maximum amount of light.

Choose furniture with light colored upholstery.

Introduce patterns to provide some visual interest to the space. Choose a common color for your decorating scheme, then buy accessories such as pillows and throw rugs that feature these colors. You can mix and match the patterns on these accessories if you use your common color as a visual tie between all the elements.