A new paint color can update the look and feel of any space. Choosing colors for small rooms is often challenging for homeowners. It’s a popular decorating tip to use light paint colors to make small rooms appear larger. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for plain white walls. There are a wide variety of color choices that can create an open feel even in small spaces.
Expand Your Space with Color
Whites and light neutrals are still the best choices if you are planning to sell your home in the near future. Potential homebuyers are able to visualize how a space works for them if they aren’t distracted by bold or vibrant wall colors that may clash with their own furnishings and personal design aesthetic.
For those of you who want more options to make your room look larger and brighter, here are some additional factors to consider when choosing paint colors for small spaces:
1. The Function and Mood of the Space
Every color, whether you consciously notice it or not, impacts mood and emotions. It’s important to select paint colors that work well with the primary function of a space. Soft blues, grays, and greens are often used in bedrooms and other spaces where a calm and quiet mood is important. Warmer colors (reds, oranges, yellows) inject spaces with a sense of energy.
2. The Room’s Lighting
Almost any color can work in a small space as long as you have the right lighting. While lighter colors are best for rooms that don’t receive a lot of natural light, bold and vibrant colors can work in small spaces that receive plenty of outdoor lighting. Elegant gray has become a popular color for interior design because it works well in both sun-bathed and sun-deprived rooms.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Use Bold Colors
Using bold colors in small spaces doesn’t automatically make them look cramped or dark. A bold color can create a focal point in a small room. A darker color on one wall can make it recede, making a small space appear larger.
Bold paint colors often work well in bathrooms because almost everything else is already a neutral white. Balancing bold color choices with the right lighting and furnishings can make small rooms appear larger than they are.
4. Avoid Darker Hues
Darker colors aren’t necessarily off-limits when painting a small space but they can feel gloomy unless you have ample natural and artificial light. For most small spaces, it’s best to stick with a lighter color palette if your goal is a light and bright mood. If you want a small space to feel warm and cozy, choose a vibrant jewel tone, but avoid dark blue, purple or black which can make a small space seem cave-like rather than cozy.
5. Beige Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
Today’s neutrals are anything but boring. With tones ranging from cool grays to warm terra-cotta, neutrals are good choices for rooms of all sizes. Neutral colors in medium tones give a space substance and style without overwhelming a small room.
Low ceilings in small rooms can feel stuffy and closed in. You can open up a small space by painting the walls and ceilings in a soothing shade of taupe.
6. Don’t Forget the Ceiling
Though “ceiling white” generally makes a space feel airy, a similar effect can be achieved by painting the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color. The result is a room that appears larger because the contrast between the wall color and ceiling color has been softened. In a small space like a bathroom, the ceiling can even be painted the same color as the walls to make the room appear bigger.
7. The Future
Choose paint colors that you love but consider what the future holds for the space you’re painting. Is a room likely to be repurposed as a nursery, home office, or exercise space? Are you planning to sell your home in the near future?
You may really love a dark purple bedroom or bright red office, but when it’s time to sell, you’ll likely need to repaint. Knowing you may have to start the entire painting process over again may steer you toward lighter shades or different colors than you were originally considering.
Test Your Color Selections
Once you’ve narrowed down your color selections, it’s important to try them out. Painting large samples on white poster board is an easy way to see how colors will appear around a room. Natural and artificial light can dramatically impact the appearance of color, so viewing paint samples at different times throughout the day is important.
With so many color options to choose from, selecting the right one can be overwhelming. Using lighter colors that reflect more light will make even the smallest space look bigger. Neutrals, including off-white, beige, or light grays are reliable choices for any size room. Even bold colors can work in a small space if you have the right lighting and finishes.
If you’re not sure what is best for your home, an experienced paint contractor will be able to help you make the right choices when it comes to paint colors and finishes.
Choose ACP for Your Residential Painting
The professionals at ACP Painting, LLC offer color consultations to help you choose the colors that will meet your needs. We’ll advise you on the latest trends and techniques to update the look of your home.
ACP Painting, LLC has been painting homes and businesses in Maricopa, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, and Ahwatukee Foothills Village since 2005. We are proud to have received the Best Painter of the Year in 2020 award from the Ahwatukee Foothills News based on reader feedback! Contact us online or at (480) 785-6323 to schedule a free consultation.
