If you have a room that is narrower than it is long, it can end up feeling closed in. Laying hardwood flooring vertically in this situation would make the illusion even worse. To combat this problem, lay the flooring horizontally. This draws the eye from side to side, instead of down the length of the room. Just like a horizontally-striped shirt can make people look wider than they are, the horizontal stripes created by the floor boards have the same effect on a room.

consider doing a diagonal or even a herringbone layout.

Diagonal flooring adds visual interest to a floor and can make the space seem larger. The eye is drawn across the room, creating the illusion of greater width and length. This orientation works very well in tiny rooms where both length and width are an issue. Diagonal flooring can also be used simply to make a floor pattern more interesting or to create a conversation piece for the room.

our bedroom has a long, somewhat narrow space. we did the herringbone.