If certain spaces in your home feel more confined than you prefer, there are ways to create a visually larger area without adding on any square footage. Particular paint colors and techniques are ways to create additional visual space without adding on. If you want to make some of your rooms feel larger, consider these tried and true tips to enlarge a space with paint visually.
Use One Continuous Color
Using the same paint color on the wall and the trim makes the wall seem taller than it really is. This monochromatic look visually extends the height of the wall, giving the appearance of more soaring ceilings. When two different colors are used on the wall and the trim, the eye often stops where one color ends and the other begins, making the ceiling appear lower.
Drench the Walls in White
White paint is a go-to technique for many to make a space appear larger. White paint works best when the area gets plenty of natural light. A room painted in a light color allows the eye to easily travel around the room, which can trick you into feeling like the space is more extensive.
Use Lighter Colors
In addition to white paint, using a lighter paint color is a tried and true technique for many homeowners looking to create more visual space. Lighter, softer tones such as pale blues, greens and soft whites can make a room feel airier, larger and brighter. Pairing these pale, soft colors with white trim will help create a visually larger space.
But, Don’t be Afraid of Dark Colors
If the space doesn’t get lots of natural light, it can be better to lean into the naturally dark atmosphere and cover the walls with a dark paint hue to create a spacious feel. In addition, using the monochromatic wall and trim color technique can help extend the space.
Paint the Ceiling
Painting the ceiling can draw the eye, making a room feel bigger. Selecting a complementary color that is a few shades lighter, or selecting the same wall color, mixed at 75%, can create the illusion of a raised ceiling height.
Paint Stripes
Whether it’s walls, clothing, or accessories, stripes can make any surface appear taller. For example, painting vertical stripes on a wall is a tried and true trick to make the walls appear taller. This technique can also be applied to a ceiling if it is slanted of pitched. A slanted ceiling stripes can create a tented effect that visually brings the eyes upwards instead of feeling like the ceiling is low and cramped.
Select a High-Sheen Finish
Because of its light-reflective qualities, paint in a high-sheen finish can help the light bounce around the room, making it appear larger. A high-sheen finish works best on walls that don’t have imperfections, as the shiny nature of the paint will highlight any imperfections. Hanging mirrors in small spaces creates a similar effect.Â
