Make Your Room Look Bigger and Brighter With These Paint Colors

Choosing the right color can change the feel of a room. Small rooms can seem larger; dark rooms can be made to seem lighter; and, with the right paint, you can even make a ceiling seem higher than it really is. When you know the tricks of the trade, painting a room can make a huge difference in the way it is perceived.

The short answer: Warm off-whites, light grays, soft neutrals like greige, and pale pastels are the best paint colors to make a room look bigger and brighter because they reflect more light. Painting the ceiling a lighter shade adds to the effect.

When the eye sees color, certain neurons are triggered in the brain. They cause you to perceive what you are looking at in a certain manner. You can use this to your advantage when you want a room to look bigger and brighter than it actually is. Room color can even affect your mood. Most people are aware of how white makes things appear larger; however, you do not have to use white paint in every small room to create a feeling of enhanced size. There are many colors that will do the same thing.

Off-White

Stark white can seem cold and sterile. Fortunately, there are various shades of this popular color that can add warmth to a room as well as depth. The off-white family of hues does just that. Eggshell or cream bring light into the room while also emitting a warmer feeling than stark white or a shade of white with a blue tinge. The warmer shades of white provide an inviting ambiance. Furniture and accent pieces can make an off-white room feel comforting and cozy.

The Lighter Side of Neutrals

Smaller rooms can be made to feel larger and brighter when painted in a neutral color such as beige or greige. Many homeowners choose to mix in other tones to give neutral paint more color. Light mauves produce a gentle, dusty pink tone while blues and blue-green tints give the room a feeling of calm and serenity.

Neutral colors are effective in expanding the sense of depth in a room without overpowering you with color. They add a feeling of spaciousness in a subtle manner while still providing a touch of color. This is especially desirable for rooms with lower levels of natural lighting. The light is still brought into the room, making it feel airy and bright. For more ideas, see our tips on how to brighten low-light rooms.

Liven Up a Room with Pastels

If you are looking for a little more color while keeping a sense of more space, you may want to consider going with one of the many pastel colors available. Soft pastels maintain that spacious feeling while adding more color to a room. A soft peach, robin’s egg blue, airy lavender, and cool mint are a few popular colors on the palette.

Pastels can be light and subtle or bright. How you use the color and accent colors in the room will bring the room together nicely, or it could end up looking like an Easter basket if you are not careful. Use neutral tones as contrasting colors to keep the room looking cohesive.

These colors are particularly nice in bedrooms. Their muted tones can add a subtle richness to the room when coordinating accent colors are added. Splashes of bold colors used in decorating will make the room pop. Explore more relaxing bedroom paint colors.

Light Grays

This is one of those colors that goes with everything. Another advantage of using gray is that there are several undertones to choose from. The most popular undertones are blue, green and purple. The versatility of this color rivals that of white. Without being overbearing, you can make just about any statement you wish when you add accent colors to the room.

Light gray reflects light well, and bold accents with decorating can make the room stand out. A more monochromatic color scheme can be soothing and elegant with the right accouterments.

Experimenting with Color

Larger rooms don’t necessarily lend themselves to experimentation as well as smaller rooms. When you are working with a smaller space, you have the option to experiment with color. You don’t have to use only one color throughout the room. Experiment with painting one wall with an accent color, but follow a few dos and don’ts of an accent wall. You may want to try going in an altogether different direction by painting the ceiling a different color. This can be very effective in making a room look larger and the ceiling higher. Here are some ceiling paint color ideas to get you started.

One school of thought that challenges the traditional “lighter is bigger” theme posits that dark colors can also make a room look bigger. This is because darker colors seem to recede into the background. Small rooms provide an opportunity for you to experiment with color and decide for yourself what works best for your style and personality.

Make Proper Preparations

Whether you decide to go light or dark or something in between, it is important that you make the proper preparations before putting paint on the wall. Make sure the walls are clean and free from cracked or peeling paint. Make any repairs that need to be made. Tape off trim work if it is not going to be the same color as the wall.

Painting a room can be exciting, but when you don’t have the extra time, it can also be a major undertaking. The Arizona Painting Company offers color consulting and professional interior painters to help or do the job for you. Our team of experienced professionals is at your disposal. Get a free quote today.