Few things can make a room or home feel and look more energized than a new paint job. Painting gives the entire room a brand-new look with just the right amount of ambiance thrown into the mix. If your room is small, however, it might be a bit of a challenge to paint it with the right colors, but do not worry; there are many ways to make even the smallest space look larger and it all starts with just a few basic “do”s and “don’t”s. Regardless of the size or location of the room you are painting or even your favorite colors, you can make a small room look larger without painting it in colors that you don’t like and by following a few basic rules.
Don’t Choose Dull Colors
Many people assume that dull colors will look better in a small space but this is simply not the case. Colorful plaids, yellows, greens, and electric blues are actually great for small spaces as long as you leave plenty of air space between the colors – in other words, negative space. If you want to add depth to the room, simply paint the window sill, radiator, or the inside of your bookshelves with splashes of color as well to open up the room and make it look more spacious. In addition, if you create one wall that stands out in a different color or shade, this can create the illusion of space or depth. This was once thought of as a “don’t” by many do-it-yourself enthusiasts but paint experts swear by it, especially if that one unique wall is painted in a bold color such as bright blue.
A Few Other Tips
There are a few other things that you can do to make your small space look bigger, including:
- Colorful stripes and a lighter color on the ceiling give the room an airier look and feel.
- Spice up a small kitchen by using colors such as red and other trendy colors. Try hanging china pieces on the wall to save space and make the room look bigger.
- Bathrooms are great in bold colors, including chocolate brown, which may seem as though it will make the room look smaller but doesn’t.
- Once this is done, be sure to look carefully over the entire Faux finishes are great for small places because they expand the space’s appearance.
- Consider painting a large canvas on your wall or hanging fabric or wall decals.
As with other types of painting, decorating small spaces by painting them requires playing around with a few colors that you like before you apply them to the entire space. Some paint brands make two-ounce cans of paint and if you paint a 1’ x 2’ area in the paint color that you are considering, you can get a good idea of what it would look like once the whole room is painted. Don’t forget to view it in both natural and artificial light so that you can get a better idea of how it will look once you paint the entire room. This is an important step and gets you on your way to a brighter, larger-looking room.
Marc Poulos began his real estate and financial services career, but he soon realized that his true passion was beautifying homes. He started working with various small craftsman shops before serving an apprenticeship with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. His commitment to excellence won him Top Apprentice from Washburne trade school in Chicago – the country’s premier school of its kind.
