If you have a small space in your home that you want to make bigger, and knocking out walls isn’t possible, then you might want to consider how paint affects the visual spaciousness of a room. The colors that you choose for your walls are integral to its overall appearance. Although the general notion that painting services should use light paint to make a room look bigger is true most of the time, there are other ways to use color to make a room look larger. If you are sold on a dark color, don’t fret – there are ways to use darker colors make a room look bigger.
Dark colors won’t always make a room look smaller. The misconception is that when you use dark colors it makes the walls look closer to you and that makes a room “feel” smaller, but that is not entirely accurate. If you think about shadows and how they give depth to something, then if you use all light colors in a bathroom, you may end up giving it a “flat” appearance, which isn’t necessarily always going to make the room look larger.
Light is a force that both creates highlights draws the eye’s focus. This means dark colors can create dimension in a room; you still see the light reflect off of dark colors, so it is possible to use them in a bathroom or smaller room and still have the room appear big. You just have to know how to use them properly. If you want to stick with dark colors for your bathroom, then try these tips and tricks.
Choose the right color scheme
Before you begin putting paint on the wall, you will want to devise the right “color scheme.” The best way to use color is to integrate both dark and light together, so that they can play off of one another and create “space.” If you can find one color you like, then find another one that goes well with it to create dimension and depth. The second color should be the same basic color as the first, but it should be a shade or two lighter. If the primary color is dark, then select a second shade that is a little bit lighter. Using different colors will make some objects appear closer and some farther, which will give the room more visual depth.
Use dark colors to create dimension
If you have a bathroom with a shower and tub combination, you usually have tiling that is shiny and reflects a lot of light. The small area between the top of the shower and the bathtub is an excellent place to put darker colors. Since the tub and shower are probably light colored, placing dark colors in optimal places will help the room have more depth and dimension.
Stick with the middle
To make the room look bigger, you will want to paint the majority of it the second color that is moderate in shade – not too dark and not too light. By using that as the major color, it will become the color that all the others play off – the background of the entire room from which all the other colors will radiate.
Use the light color on molding and trim
To make the room look larger regardless of the color you use for the walls and floors, paint the molding and the trim white or a light color to make those areas “pop.” The trim and molding will draw the eyes to them and create the dimensional effect that you want, with the other colors playing off of one another and contrasting with the darker colors in the room.
Although it is common knowledge that light colors make a room look bigger, there are ways to use darker colors intermingled with light to give a room dimension that will help it to appear more spacious. If you have a color scheme and a plan, you can use whatever color you want and still achieve the same results in making your bathroom or small area look larger.
