Stripes have been a popular pattern in décor forever.  Yet they remain current and interesting.  And just as stripes in fashion can be used to accentuate assets or hide figure flaws, stripes in décor can create illusions to help achieve certain visual effects.

For example, a wide stripe painted around the perimeter of a room draws the eye back and forth across the width of the space.  This is especially useful in narrow spaces to help them appear to be wider than they are.

A similar effect can be achieved with the use of repeated narrow, vertical  stripes.  Even though the stripes are vertical, because they are narrow rather than wide,  their repetition will actually draw the eye from side to side creating the illusion of width.

Wide vertical stripes, on the other hand, draw the eye up and down and create the illusion of height.  Using a few of these stripes on a wall can actually help to make a low ceiling feel higher.

Looking at this concept another way, adding straight drapes to a window can help to create the illusion of height in a room.  The drapes , in essence, act as wide vertical stripes that draw the eye up and down along their length.  To complete the illusion of height, make sure that the curtains are hung all the way up to the ceiling and that they hang all the way down to the floor.

So the next time you have a design dilemma with the size of a space, try thinking of the answer in terms of stripes.  You may just be surprised and delighted at the solution.