What Colors Make a Room Look Bigger? “For a small space, nothing beats airy blues and crisp whites,” says Nivara Xaykao, Benjamin Moore color and design expert. “Blues recede, which can give the illusion of opening up a space,” she explains.
'Contrary to traditional thinking, dark paint allows the room to appear larger and taller than it may be. Dark colors add depth, visually enlarge the space, and make a great statement,' says Lichelle Silvestry.
Light and Warm Paint Colour
Whereas light and cool can make a space feel bigger, light and warm can work if you want it to feel bright and big, but still warm and inviting! Sherwin Williams Creamy is another light, bright and warm paint colours (that isn't obnoxiously yellow).
An accent wall draws in all the attention when one enters the room and it ultimately becomes the focal point of the room. Painting an accent wall can also make a room appear larger and more spacious than it actually is. This can be a huge benefit if square footage is a concern of yours.
Add reflective surfaces
Yes, you know that mirrors make a space appear larger. (“It's like doubling a room,” Curtis says.) But other reflective surfaces — high-gloss painted ceilings, lacquered furniture, shiny tile on a kitchen backsplash — have a similar effect, casting light and creating the illusion of volume.
Gray can make a room look bigger. A light gray can be a great pick in place of white; it will reflect natural light, but it looks less architectural and cool than white, which you might prefer.
Well, red promotes energy, and interaction and can even raise our blood pressure, making sleep difficult; yellow is great for pops of color but not on every wall of a bedroom as it can over-stimulate the nervous system; and grey, although initially calming, will eventually sap energy. '
Rules for Designing an Accent Wall
Be careful not to go overboard, as too much of the same color will make the room look monochromatic. Accent walls should support existing focal points you want to preserve, not create a battle for attention. Don't put an accent wall on a wall you don't want to accentuate.
Ultimately, the color of the accent wall should complement the existing design elements in the room. It really depends on the size of the room and the look that you are going for. Generally, a lighter shade on an accent wall will make a space look larger, while a darker one will make it look cozier.
'Many choose to use bright white in smaller spaces assuming white will make the room appear larger, however light neutrals and soft colors used in a tonal scheme will have the same effect whilst not appearing too stark or cold,' adds Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.
Pick dark shades that have a bit of color. 'I love dark green as a feature wall in a room with a lot of natural light,' says color and paint expert, Annie Sloan. A dark purple, brown, burgundy or navy blue can also work against a soft white or cream to help trick the eye into making the space feel bigger.
Some painting techniques to make a room look bigger include:
Stay with one color – when different colors are used, the eye automatically stops at the line where one color ends and another begins, creating boundaries in the room. When you use only one color, the space appears continuous.
What patterns make a small living room look bigger? Stripes make a small living room look bigger. Use them vertically to make a low-ceilinged room look taller or horizontally on the narrowest wall to make a narrow space feel wider. You do not have to use pronounced stripes – they can be subtle to have an effect.
Speaking of accent walls, these will continue to be a top interior design trend for 2023. While many of us automatically think of using paint to create an accent wall, there are countless other options to make a wall a visually interesting focal point.
Cooler paint colours help walls to recede, making the room feel more spacious and light. Go for pale shades of grey and blue for maximum lightening effect. If it's warmth you're after, don't be afraid to use light terracotta or yellow paint colours – a sunny hue can brighten and warm a dark, dingy space.
The general rule for accent colors is 60-30-10, meaning that 60 percent of the room should be your main color, 30 percent should be your accent color, and 10 percent should be your secondary accent color. If in doubt, stick to this rule, and you'll be able to achieve a balanced look.
The Most Important Tip for How to Pick an Accent Wall Colour
Start by looking at your home's existing decor and figuring out what colour palette you'd like to work with. Consider colours already present in your furniture, artwork, or rugs to ensure cohesion between the accent wall and the rest of your decor.
If not done right, it would only chop up your space, and feel randomly placed, instead of actually being the highlight of the room. While an accent wall is indeed fun, not every room needs one – because it might make your room feel divided and not cohesive.
We recommend sticking to one accent wall per room. Picking two or three will dilute the effect; the room will feel like a collage of colours rather than a carefully designed palette.
Designers are in agreement that not every wall in the home needs to be decorated. With each individual interior design, the aim is to always ensure that there is a feeling of harmonious visual balance; for some spaces this may mean adorning every wall with beautiful decor, whereas for others, empty wall space triumphs.
To sum up, there isn't a lot of scientific research behind how colour affects your mood. However, anecdotal evidence suggests it can affect your frame of mind and consequently your sleep. The best bedroom colours we'd recommend to make you happy are yellow, blue, green, and pastel shades such as lilac.
According to leading design experts, the best wall colors for a bedroom are warm pastels, soft white paint shades, and neutral-leaning blues and greens.
White. White is, of course, always a good paint choice, because it feels elegant, fresh and clean. Plus, Gibbons says, “black and white are the most timeless colors you'll find anywhere and the most timeless color combination.”