You've eliminated the clutter and done away with the oversized furniture, but why does the room still feel like it's caving in on you? Many rooms and even entire apartments can make you feel slightly claustrophobic because of the way they are designed, but also because of the placement of decorations and room accessories.

Whether it's the dorm room or the home office that's the size of a shoebox, there are several ways you can decorate the space so that it appears to be much larger. Here are some decorating tips to help you create more space in any living area:

1. Use mirrors. Mirrors create an illusion of more space, and can be strategically placed on the opposite wall of a window or door. Use wall mirrors or small decorative mirrors in the foyer, living room or even the dining area to create the illusion of more space.

2. Limit accessories to just two to three large pieces. Choosing accessories to furnish your room with can be fun, but it's easy to go overboard. If there are too many accessories in the room, the space will begin to feel too crowded and cluttered. Stick with just one or two eye-catching pieces to complement the look and style of your room, and create the feeling of more space.

3. Keep chairs and sofas near the wall. These pieces of furniture can divide a room if they are placed in the center or away from the wall. Position them against the wall instead to make more room for guests, and even other pieces of furniture.

4. Stick with neutral colors. Too many bright colors and accents can be distracting and make it difficult to feel calm and relaxed in the living area. This can also contribute to the 'claustraphobic' feeling. Create a feeling of more space by choosing neutral, monochromatic colors for your walls and major pieces of furniture.

5. Use spot lighting or torchiere lamps to add more light to the room. These lamps can be positioned in the corners of a room or in the recesses of a ceiling to create the appearance of more space. The right type of lighting can open up even the tiniest of spaces.

White accessories, furniture and accents can transform any living space and create a chic, modern, and sophisticated look. However, working with white can be very tricky. Too much white in a room can make the space look stark and sterile, but too little can set other colors in the room off balance and stand out too much against other color palettes. How do you introduce just the right amount of white into your apartment or house? Here are some tips for accessorizing and decorating with white décor and furnishings:

1. Use white as a focal point of the room. Whether it's a rug, a coffee table runner, or a sculpture that sits in the center of your room, choose one signature piece and three to four accent pieces to complement it so they can be scattered around the room.

2. Balance with silver, black and grey. An all-white room is much too stark and unfriendly for most living spaces, so you need to balance it out with other colors. Silver, black, grey and pewter are always great complements for white, so you can accessorize and decorate with these complementary hues to create a more attractive appearance.

3. Go for the black and white combo. Always trendy and stylish, decorating with an even amount of black and white can help you create a well-coordinated and attractive living space. Look for checkered tablecloths and cushion covers, printed throws and rugs, and furnishings that feature white or black trim. This color combo is a modern, hip and urban look that can really freshen up your living space.

4. Try off-white color palettes. Beige, ecru and white with a pinkish hue are attractive alternatives to classic white. These are actually great color options for painting entire walls and window trim with, so consider switching to a less dramatic version of white if you want a warmer look.

5. Use white as a brightener. In small doses, white can be a great way to freshen up an area of the room and draw attention to a space where there are no windows or natural light filtering in. Large white accent pillows, a white rug, or even some white vases will draw the eyes towards them and can help to balance out a dark room.