Best Colors for Room Walls to Make a Room Look Larger

There are endless possibilities when choosing a color to paint your house. You can choose colors that bring you joy, choose those that work well with natural light, or you can use color as a design tool to delineate different functional areas of the room.

Color can also have a big impact on the size of a room. For example, you can choose a bright white to reflect natural light, or a sky blue to offset the claustrophobia of a small space.

“The most obvious choice to make a small bedroom appear larger is to choose a bright, neutral color, like white,” says Kelly Collins, interior designer and creative director of Swyft Home.

“Don’t be afraid to stay away from white walls. People always think that painting your walls black, or even blue, will make a room look small, but that’s not always the case. Choosing dark colors will create depth, which will add depth to the space .” helps hide the fact that the room is small.

Here, we look at the six best paint colors that can make a room look larger, along with some clever paint tips from design experts.

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broken white

White is an ideal paint choice for making a small room appear larger. It is especially popular in kitchens and bathrooms where a clean, crisp style is preferred.

“Over the past three years, we’ve seen a huge transformation in how our homes look and function,” says Tom Howley, design director at the eponymous kitchen company. “We need to make our homes appear more spacious and bright. White kitchens are a great example of how this color can create a vibrant aesthetic and make a smaller kitchen appear larger.”

An all-white kitchen might be too calming for some, in which case introducing contrasting hues in small doses won’t detract from the feel of the space; just make sure you use them wisely.

“If you don’t like the all-white look, pay attention to the contrast between the wall and floor colors,” says Magnet Design Director Lizzie Beesley. “The greater the contrast, the smaller the room will appear. So it’s best to pair light-colored walls with lighter colors. Flooring and tiles are combined, and then other colors are introduced through accessories and hardware.”

cheerful yellow

Using yellow in a small room has both psychological and visual effects. Bright yellow is very cheerful and can soften the claustrophobic feel of a small room.

You can also use some painting techniques. “Painting the ceiling the same color as the walls will draw attention to it and make the ceiling appear to be higher than it actually is, making the entire room appear larger,” says Kelly. “Paint the woodwork and trim it to a darker tone than the wall color. “This way, the architectural bones of the room become more important and the walls are set back slightly.”

natural green vegetables

Using natural sage or moss green is a clever decorating technique in any room overlooking a garden or green space. Blurring the lines between exterior and interior can make a room appear like an extension of the view, lengthening and expanding the perception of interior space.

Green is an excellent base tone for creating a palette that should revolve freely around the three main colors, as well as neutrals.

“I think three is the magic number when it comes to design,” says interior designer Sophie Robinson. “This color is the protagonist, used in between 60 and 70 percent of the design (think walls, floors, or large furniture). , use secondary colors around 20-30% (i.e. upholstered furniture) and a final strong color around 10-5% (i.e. cushions, artwork, and vases). You can add neutral colors to this mix, which I call free colors and can apply them, for example, on wooden floors and furniture.”

rich blues

A single color on the walls doesn’t react to sunlight and won’t do much for a small space. Colors with rich undertones, such as duck blue, come to life with natural light, warming and cooling over time. Colors like this will liven up a small space: a great choice for a dressing room or bedroom.

Farrow & Ball’s Stone Blue and Blue Ground are perfect choices in this situation.

A great way to improve a room is to paint the walls below the ceiling. “Another tip is to paint the walls a color about 10 centimeters from the ceiling, or to the bottom of the molding, and then paint everything above that a bright white. The extra strip of white will make the room appear taller,” he says . Kelly.

dark color

Using dark colors in smaller rooms is controversial, as long as it’s done correctly.

Aaron Markwell, paint expert at COAT Paints, says: “Most people choose light colors in smaller spaces, but dark rooms can appear larger, especially if they also include ceilings.” “ Dark colors absorb light and blur the edges of a space, softening them and making the room look less closed in. Dark blues and even blacks work surprisingly well, especially in the bedroom, making the room a haven for a good night’s sleep. “

glitter paint

A quick tip when choosing a color for a small room: Any paint with a glossy or eggshell finish will reflect natural light well, making your space appear brighter and larger. It’s not suitable for every surface, but we’ve seen it used successfully on ceilings, stairs and floors.

Varnish will work the same way on all wooden surfaces (doors, railings, kitchen cabinets).