The box room seems to be getting smaller in new builds and it's no wonder ... land is at a premium across the UK, which results in many properties being built on smaller plots. The box room is decreasing in size to compensate the demand for 'at least' two bedroom homes.

It's getting harder to utilise the box room as a 'spare bedroom', simply because a single bed will no longer fit comfortably within the space, so many of these rooms are being made redundant and end up becoming the place to hide junk; this in turn, will detract from the potential market value of a home.

In view of increasing property values, home owners should consider the potential use of a box room. As the children grow up and move out, more and more box rooms are turning from kids bedrooms into home offices, as more people are starting up small businesses and consultancies from home. Or why not create a multi-media room?

A few tips to make the most of your small spaces ...

• Colour

Dark colours will make a room feel smaller so go for paler, brighter shades. You don't have to stick to white, although this is the quickest way to make a room feel brighter and the space seem bigger.

Light, cool colours like blues and greens will generally make spaces seem bigger because they recede, making your eyes think they're further away.

A single stripe painted around the top of the room draws the eye to the ceiling and creates a sense of height.

In a small room, ceilings should always be white, to enhance the space.

• Lighting

Lighting can dramatically affect the appearance and mood of a room. Use uplighters to make a room feel taller and avoid large lampshades as they'll take up precious space.

Boosting the amount of natural light in a small room makes it feel brighter, airier and more spacious.

• Mirrors

A mirror in a small room can double the space in an instant! It's a great trick and is an easy and economical way to enhance a small space.

Carefully placed mirrors will bounce extra light around a room, reflect a view and generally give the impression of walls extending beyond where they actually are. Hang one opposite the door or a window for maximum impact.

A whole wall of mirrors can create the illusion of a window.

• Windows

The way you dress windows can help make a room seem bigger.

In small rooms with little windows, use curtains that run much wider than the actual window size and take them up to just below the ceiling, creating a generous feeling to the whole room.

Stick to light colours for blinds or curtains, as they will allow more sunlight in, adding brightness into a small space.

Another trick is to add windows or doors to more than one side of a room. If you have light coming from more than one direction you will lose dark corners.

Generously proportioned windows and doors will help open up boxy rooms, and fitting a skylight, if possible, will make it feel bigger.

• Furniture

Filling a small space with too much furniture is the biggest mistake people make, the fewer pieces that suit the scale of the room will always make the space feel bigger than lots of little pieces.

So remove small tables, magazine racks and chairs you don't need and stick to a handful of essentials and maybe have one "feature" piece.

"Less is more" ... as they say!

• Rugs

In a smaller space, you're better off using a single rug that stretches to the edges of the room. The wrong rug or too many rugs in a small room can make it seem claustrophobic. Smaller rugs will only create a cluttered look and feel.