Small spaces require creative solutions that make the most out of every square foot. The first step in making a small space look and feel larger is to choose paint colors that provide a feeling of openness to the room. By playing with color and contrast, even the tiniest spaces can feel more spacious and inviting.
Understanding what colors makes a room look bigger is your next step. Dark colors are definitely design-friendly, but they make a room appear smaller. Dark wall colors make a room feel smaller because light can’t reflect and it makes the walls appear to recede. What this means for a small space is that you will want to open it up by using whites or monochromatic schemes of white, cream, pale grays and blues to keep it light, airy and open. If you found a dark color you love, there are ways to make rooms look bigger. Dark accent colors such as navy, gray or red can make a space look larger when you limit their use to one wall. Painting an accent wall in a dark shade pushes it backward, giving the room a taller and more spacious feel.
The ceiling is often the most overlooked option for making the space feel larger. Because deeper colors recede, using a color other than a typical white can make ceilings appear higher. Some tried-and-true color choices for painting the ceiling in a small room include light blues, pale yellows and whites. This will make a consistent, smooth look that will lengthen and expand the walls, in turn making the space look bigger. It’s a simple, easy and instant way to make it look brighter too. If you are opting for dark accent colors on your walls, you might try going for a dark ceiling and adding fixtures. It creates depth while the fun fixtures draw your eye upward, creating the illusion of height.
Next thing that you will want to do is blend the trim. Trim may include floor moldings, crown molding, door and window trim. Painting your walls, trim, and detailing in different shades of one color, sets off your wall color and makes the space look roomier. Painting the trim the same or a slightly lighter tint of the wall color really makes the wall boundaries disappear and the room appear larger. It also gives the room a smooth look that will elongate and widen the walls, in turn making the space look bigger. It’s a simple, easy and instant way to make it look brighter too.
Like a well-placed mirror, metallic finishes reflect outward and visually help a room feel larger. An excellent way to tie smaller spaces, such as hallways and entryways, into the common areas is to use one neutral tone throughout The key to having metallic paint color make a room feel larger is to keep other elements simple and in the same metal family. Choose low-profile furnishings that won’t dominate a small room. Add plenty of light with lamps or installed fixtures and keep accents simple.
Sharper Impressions Painting performs exterior and interior painting jobs for residential and commercial buildings in five different markets around the United States including Columbus, Atlanta, Kansas City, Indianapolis and Nashville.
