If you want to instantly transform any space, the easiest way is to repaint the walls with a different color. Paint color can significantly influence the look and feel of a room– it can make it look cozier and even more spacious.
By changing the color of a room, you can also alter people’s perception of its size and shape. If you’re considering having your home repainted, read on for some tips that will help you achieve your goals and make your painting project a success!
Paint Color Affects Mood and Perception
Each paint color and even different shades of the same paint color can bring different effects. For instance, lighter and cooler tones tend to look farther away. On the other hand, darker and warmer tones will make the walls appear like they’re moving towards us.
By keeping this basic concept in mind, you can easily make your space look bigger or smaller and change the shape of the room. You can also draw attention to certain focal points and drive attention to positive aspects of the room, hiding the less attractive parts.
How Paint Color Can Change Your Perception of Room Size
Does your room look too large that it can make people feel uncomfortable? In order to solve this problem, you can paint the ceiling with a darker paint color compared to your walls. This will make your ceiling appear lower and give your space a cozier feel.
On the other hand, if your room is too small that it can make you feel claustrophobic, choose a lighter paint color for your ceiling. This will make the ceiling appear higher and make the room feel more spacious.
It is also a good idea to paint the ceilings of exterior spaces, such as the porch. For these exterior spaces, you might want to try soft blue shades similar to the skies.
Making the Room Appear Larger
Using lighter colors for making the room appear larger allows your eyes to travel continuously around the space and make it look more spacious. However, if different colors are used in the same room, your eyes will instinctively stop at the line where the paint color changes.
By making edges more noticeable and setting these boundaries, you make the real size of the room more apparent. However, using the same color will somehow hide the boundaries and the space will seem to continue.
The Effect Of Using Darker Paint Colors
Contrary to the common belief that darker paint colors can make a room feel like a cave, they can actually make it cozier and feel more accommodating.
When your walls have a deep color and the trim has a lighter color or white, your eyes will easily notice the borders of the room. This means if your room is just small, the size of the room will be accentuated and may enhance the feeling of tightness.
On the other hand, if the trim also has a deep color and doesn’t stand out, your eyes won’t stop at the borders and will continue across the room. In short, because your eyes don’t register the edges, your room will feel larger.
How Paint Color Can Change the Shape of a Space
If your home has a long, narrow space that you want to have repainted, it is recommended to paint both end walls with a color that is a shade or two darker compared to the other walls. This will make the end walls feel closer and make the shape appear to be of a square shape instead of a narrow space.
Meanwhile, if you have a large, bare wall, you can break up the space with molding and choose a different color above and below. For the bottom part, a darker color looks better to ground the space.
Adding a bit of design on your walls in the form of vertical stripes can also make your space feel taller, while using horizontal lines can make it look longer.
Other Tips for Changing a Space By Repainting
Here are some other ways a paint color can transform your space:
- Unattractive items or features in a room such as vents can be “hidden” by painting them the same color as the walls.
- You can downplay the angles and other architectural features in your attic or other parts of your home by painting all surfaces the same color.
- Highlight your ceiling or decorative trim by choosing a different color for your walls.
- Paint adjoining rooms the same color to make the space appear bigger than it actually is.
Final Thoughts
Repainting your home can be an exciting DIY home improvement project. However, if you don’t have the time, skills, and tools to accomplish the paint job, the best approach is to hire a painting company.
Soho Painters is one of the most reputable painting contractors in New York City that can provide both residential and commercial painting services. Planning your next project? Get in touch with us today and let us help you decide on the colors based on your preferences and what you want to achieve.
