Interior Paint That Makes Small Spaces Look Bigger

Monochrome

• Choose a paint to match the flooring and the window treatments to create a monochromatic scheme. This gives the appearance of space in a small room. The eye travels easily between elements of the same color. Do not neglect the ceiling when painting. It should be the same color as the walls to achieve the best results from using a monochromatic scheme.

Cool Colors

• Light shades of colors will make a room seem larger than the same color in a darker shade. The choice of color will make a difference. Opt for cool colors such as blues and greens because even the lighter shades of warm colors like oranges, reds and yellows will make a small room seem smaller. Pale blue or green colors or shades of white, tan or cream will optimize the size appearance of a room.

Patterns

• How you apply the paint can make a room seem larger or smaller. Vertical stripes can make a room look taller. Use wide vertical or horizontal stripes to give the illusion of width, but instead of painting the entire room with the pattern, use it on one accent wall. The accent wall should be behind the focal point of the room such as the bed in a bedroom or the fireplace in the living room.

Ceiling and Wall Tricks

• The ceiling of a room can be the same color as the walls and flooring, but for rooms with sloping or low ceilings, choosing a different color for the ceiling can add height to the room. Paint the ceiling a lighter shade than the walls to give the illusion of height in a room. Narrow rooms can look wider if you paint the longer walls a lighter shade than the two short walls on the ends. The lighter paint pushes the closer, long walls away from the eye, and the darker shades at the end pull the ends toward the viewer.