Styling a small room can be challenging because you must think about where everything will go. You have to measure furniture and fixtures multiple times to ensure they will fit and that you will not run into them as you use the space. Then, there is the issue of making it appear bigger.
Small rooms can feel cramped, and this can make some people uncomfortable. One way to make these bigger is using paint colour. So, what colours should you choose for this?
Gray
Gray is an interesting colour because it can make rooms feel bigger or smaller. The difference between the achieved effect is the shade of gray and how you use it. Gray is a neutral colour that sits between white and black. This becomes clear when you look at the gray colour code that shows you what the right shade should look like.
Gray can make a room feel bigger when used alongside white. These colours bounce light off each other, making a space seem more expansive. Choose lighter gray hues that reflect even more light for the best effect. These shades work so well for this effect because they feel brighter and fresher than warmer colours, creating the appearance of more space.
If you want to use a darker gray, there is a way to use it to produce the same effect. The key is to use it on a feature wall. When doing this, pick one wall to paint the dark colour and paint the rest a lighter gray or white. This will make the feature wall seem further back than it does.
White
White is the most popular colour for making a room look bigger due to its ability to bounce light around a room. This effect is magnified if the room receives a lot of natural light, which you can ensure by using strategically placed windows and skylights.
White is also an excellent option for this because it fits different room types and aesthetics. If you decide to use white in this way, you need to add other colours to create contrast and break it up. Stark white can feel uncomfortable and constricting for some people, so adding splashes and pops of colour can help when feeling more comfortable in your home.
Use Darker Colours Strategically
It can be difficult to use light wall colours to make a room feel bigger if it does not receive enough light. One surprising thing that can happen is that the lighter colours can make the space feel smaller. In such situations, lean into the lack of sunlight.
You can do this by painting all the walls in darker colours like soft black or dark brown. These colours make the space feel more intimate and give it a feeling of grandeur as if something exists just beyond their expanse. Used correctly, these colours can also make ceilings seem higher, which makes the room appear bigger.
You can break up soft black and dark browns using softer colours like light grays, yellows, and lighter browns. This idea works better in bedrooms where you want to create this effect but do not want the space to feel blacked out.
Light Taupe
Perhaps you feel white is too bright for you. You might not want to use it but still need a bright colour for your rooms. A great alternative is light taupe. It is bright enough to let light bounce around a room like white does, but provides warmth that the latter does not.
This colour works best in rooms with little going on, such as those with sparse architectural detailing and furniture. If you pick this colour, ensure the furniture, decor, and bedding, if used in a bedroom, are also the same colour or white. This can help give the space an airy and welcoming feel.
You can use this effect on guest rooms that sometimes seem cramped. You give your visitors the illusion of a much bigger space and the feeling of a clean and sterile room due to the use of white and light taupe.
Add Energizing Colours
Oranges, yellows, greens, sky blues, and yellows are full of energy and can lift your mood if used in a room. They also reflect colour well in rooms that receive natural light. However, they can overwhelm the spaces they are used in, so add some neutrals or white accents to balance them out.
Making a room seem bigger than it is often about letting more light in, bouncing it around, and creatively creating the illusion of a much larger space. You can do all three using the right colours. There are numerous options to pick from to create this effect but choose ones that go well with the rest of your decor and home aesthetic.
