In general, darker colors will make a room feel smaller and warmer — if you have a big living room, bedroom, or basement that feels too empty and cavernous, a darker carpet or patterned flooring will help draw the eye inward and make the space feel less sprawling.
Using lighter tones of your favorite color throughout the space helps to visually expand the space. Also, lighter colors reflect more sunlight (or artificial light) than darker colors do, so the increased light in the space contributes to a more open feeling.
Darker shades of carpet are the best to have if you have kids at home as they tend to make a mess and cleaning it regularly can be a back-breaking job. Dark-colored carpets tend to last longer because of the thickness of the material when compared to light-colored carpets or rugs.
Use a light colored rug to make the room look brighter and more spacious. This is a common technique with paint and works with rugs as well. Pastels, neutrals and off-white are best. Use rugs that have a solid color rather than a pattern, because patterns can clutter a small room.
Carpet Colors That Make Small Rooms Appear Larger
In small rooms, think light or neutral colors. Light colors don't soak in the light from the room; rather, they reflect it, resulting in the appearance of a larger space.
You may be surprised to learn that dark wood flooring can help to make your room look bigger too. Darker flooring offers an inviting feel and opens up a space. Whether you choose rich colours or softer dark colours, they both have their advantages when it comes to expanding the appearance of a room.
So, what colors make a room look bigger? For an optimum effect, go with soft tones like off-white, blues, and greens, and always remember that brighter rooms feel bigger and more inviting. And here's another hack: Try painting your wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than your walls.
Since a rug serves to anchor the room, the color and style of your rug can establish the mood. Dark, rich colors help define a more intimate space while lighter colors make a smaller space appear larger. Spicy hues such as yellow, orange or red add warmth while cool colors create calm, especially in a sunny room.
Adding a striped carpet to rooms within your home will help to lengthen or add width to the area, making your rooms appear larger than they actually are. Pair a striped carpet with light, neutral walls for the ultimate space maximising visual effect.
A darker shade will make these seams less visible than a lighter color. Coziness: Dark carpets have a way of making a room feel smaller and cozier. This is an attractive feature for a living room, family room, den or bedroom. Dark brown or earth tones tend to heighten this effect more than other darker hues.
For a cozy vibe and a natural sense of calm, dark carpet is a fine choice. One major benefit to dark carpeting is that your floors will show fewer stains. Mud, wine, or anything that tends to land on carpet will be far more noticeable on lighter carpet.
Using bleach on a dark carpet will cause discoloration that will stick out. However, dark-colored carpets are better at concealing stains. Dark brown carpet, in particular, is the best color to have if you need to conceal any number of stains, from red wine to dirt.
Dark brown is one of the best carpet colors for hiding dirt. The darker the shade, the better the dirt will blend into the carpet. Powder and dust won't show up against the dark brown color. While a lighter brown can also be an attractive option, it won't hide as much dirt.
Carpet types
Broadloom (or wall to wall) carpet is manufactured in long, wide rolls and laid on backing material over the substrate flooring.
Cool Gray. A great alternative to a white paint color is a light cool gray, which can feel fresh and bright without the starkness of pure white. Cool colors feel fresher and brighter than warm ones, so it helps visually create the appearance of more space.
Big floral patterns make a room appear larger. Install wallpaper with horizontal stripes to make a room seem wider, or commit to vertical stripes to stretch the room visually and raise the ceiling. A busy pattern featuring chevrons, simple geometric designs, or a texture that mimics marble can make a room seem bigger.
Any room will look larger if it's well-lit, either by natural light or artificial lighting. Get rid of heavy draperies, and open up the windows to let the light of the outdoors into the space. Add more lamps or install track lighting or recessed lighting.
Is it dumb to put a rug over a carpet? No, it's not. First, carpeted floors are expensive to clean.
Typically, the color of your carpet will look lighter once it is installed. Most carpet selections are made from smaller carpet samples, so seeing the color in an entire room or home will make it appear lighter. This is especially true if the space has bare walls, windows, and lacks furnishings.
Because they add extra details, accent walls break up the space, making it feel bigger the same way an area rug does to a floor. Even darker colors that would otherwise make a room feel smaller will make a room feel bigger when you use them for an accent wall.