Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms. Here, we dive deeper into this topic with 5 specific painting techniques to make rooms look bigger, brighter, and more beautiful.
'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.
Stark White
Naturally, white is an obvious choice for making a room feel bigger. It's no secret that light colors make a room look larger, especially if the space is bathed in natural light. Eggshell or satin finishes will help reflect the light, creating the appearance of even more space.
Choose light colors
Making the exterior of your home a light color is the best way to make your home look larger, brighter, and more inviting. Light colors such as white, ivory, pale gray, and sage green reflect higher amounts of light than dark colors, tricking the eye into perceiving the home as larger than it is.
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.
Style Notes: Cream and ecru tones have the power to make every outfit look significantly more expensive, but paired with navy, even for casual looks, this is a combination that always looks so high-end.
Red is the color of power. It gets people's attention and holds it. It is the most popular color for marketing. The color red tends to increase the heart rate and create a sense of urgency.
Studies reveal that red is the most attractive colour to both men and women but, curiously, the two genders are attracted to the same colour for different reasons. Women are attracted to men wearing red because, according to one study, it sends signals of status and dominance.
' 'Many opt to use bright white with the aim of making a room appear larger,' adds Ruth Mottershead. 'However, a very bright white can make a room feel stark and cold. Light neutrals combined in a tonal scheme will make a room feel more spacious, creating the same effect whilst not appearing too stark.
'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.
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.
Stripes can work wonders!
Thin stripes give the appearance of stretching, vertical stripes will make a room appear taller and horizontal stripes will make a room look wider. Consider applying striped wallpaper to not only create an illusion of more space but to create a simplistic feature wall.
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.
Yellow. Yellow symbolizes happiness and warmth in almost all cultures. It's the color that grabs users' attention more than any other color. McDonald's and IKEA both use yellow in their branding to give off the feeling of friendliness and positivity.
Red and orange seem to be the clear winner when it comes to eye-catching colors. These colors tend to stand out and are therefore used on many warning signs or safety equipment. Yellow is another color that comes in a close second to red and orange in popularity.
PURPLE. Purple has been associated with royalty in the past and is often thought of as a luxury color. Think about beauty products and anti-aging lines–more times than not, they will incorporate a shade of purple in the branding.
Purple is often used to show luxury, loyalty, courage, mystery, and magic. It's a very intriguing color as it soothes but also presents space for mystery and new ideas.
06 | Lush Color Palette
The Gold, Royal, and Navy hues all nod to luxury and money. The Blush Rose is unexpected color that adds a youthful energy that adds timelessness to the old-money feel of the blue and gold.
Green, yellow and pink are among the most popular paint colours for lifting spirits in the home. To help households find the perfect wall colours for a happy home, the team at MyJobQuote.co.uk turned to Environmental Psychologist, Lee Chambers, to find out which shades can make us feel instantly happier.
Green and orange combined. Green has been a firm favorite in the home for several years, however, there are certain shades which are increasing in popularity such as pine, pistachio, and all the colors that go with sage greens.