6 Ways to Make Your Living Room Look More Spacious

It's a fundamental decorating rule: mirror = instant sense of spaciousness. And with any rule, as Olson points out, there is an exception. If the mirror reflects a jam-packed bookshelf or a busy art wall, it can also make the room seem more cluttered. Olson suggests positioning a mirror next to a lamp, or at a 90-degree angle from the windows. Both tricks spread the light in the room, lending a more open, airy feel.

Next: Nate Berkus' rules for getting the home of your dreams