Painting the wall on the far side of the room in a dark contrasting colour while keeping the side walls a light shade will help the room look more spacious. Another solution is to paint a single element such as wall shelving to catch the eye and make the rest of the space appear lighter in comparison.
When considering how to make a narrow room look wider with paint, keep in mind that light and cool colors recede – they seem farther away. Warm, dark colors advance towards us. For long narrow spaces, paint the opposing shorter walls a slightly darker (one or two shades) color than the two longer walls.
If you want to make your living room look bigger, stick to lighter colors that reflect more light and make the space feel more open. Neutrals, like off-white, beige, or light grays, are a great way to add a level of sophistication and calm.
Cool colors feel fresher and brighter than warm ones, so it helps visually create the appearance of more space. Use this color in a room with moderate amounts of light to give the space a cozy but expansive feel.
Bright colors like orange, yellow, or even a grassy green can draw more light into a darker room. These bold tones shine in artificial light and are best for rooms with very little natural light. They are the perfect accent to mix up your space and build décor around.
Just as the white does, yellow also reflects light and can provide a small room with a space-enhancing effect. Therefore, if you do not want to use white as your wall color, you can use natural yellow to get the best effect. Yellow can be a better alternative to white and can make a small room look bigger.
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.
White Ceilings
White is often used as a ceiling color because it complements almost every shade on the color wheel and works well in most color schemes. White reflects light, brightening the room and making it appear larger.
Is It Ok To Paint Opposite Walls The Same Color? An accent wall must also have a similar color to a wall adjacent to it. Regardless of your stance, paint your wall the same color but only two shades darker – its always a foolproof approach.
Paint walls opposite windows a cool, dark color to absorb light in too-bright rooms. If you want a brighter room, paint a dark color on the window wall with lighter colors opposite to reflect light back into the room.
Using mirrors to brighten a room
To increase the amount of natural light cast around a room, simply place a mirror opposite or beside a window; no matter how gloomy the sky is outside, it will harness any available daylight. The bigger the mirror, the brighter and larger the space will feel.
Cool colors including shades of blue, green and purple generally make a room look larger than warm shades such as red, orange and yellow, but pale or washed-out warm shades can do the trick as well.
Neutral white paint colors reflect the most light because any other color besides white must be absorbing at least some portion of the spectrum. Cooler paint colors — like pale shades of blue and gray — help walls recede and make rooms feel more light and spacious.
Darker shades of colors like blue, purple and brown can also help to hide flaws and create a slimming illusion. On the other hand, lighter colors, like white and khaki, can add pounds and give the illusion of a larger frame.
Mirrors are multitaskers. Not only do they make sure that you look good, they can also make your rooms look bigger, brighter, and better.
Wear light colors – black is slimming, and light colors make you look a bit larger and are bulking. Wear light blues and light browns.
Making Your Room Look Larger or Smaller with Curtains
High-hanging curtains with long vertical stripes create the illusion of height, which is excellent for low ceilings. However, short curtains and horizontal stripes shorten your wall height and make the room appear smaller.
One study by Travelodge found that households that have blue bedrooms received the best night's sleep compared to any other color. Having blue in your room can make you feel safe, relaxed, and calm. As a result, it's one of the best bedroom colors for sleep.