Color has a wonderful way of tricking the eye. A fresh coat of paint can completely revamp your space, whether your bathroom feels like a closet or your dining room is looking a bit squashed. Try these tricks in your home remodeling project to create a more spacious environment where you can thrive.
1. Raise The Roof By Installing Crown Molding.
Crown molding directs the eyes upward and raises the ceiling of a small room. Painting the molding a darker color than the ceiling will really grab attention. Another way to raise the ceiling artificially is to place a rather ornate door trim right up against the ceiling in a technique called “entablature.”
2. Paint Moldings & Trims Lighter Than The Walls.
Pure white trim is by far the most popular way to attract natural lighting and make wall color “pop.” In some cases, designers will choose creamy white with warm yellow undertones to make rooms with limited natural lighting more vibrant and less gray or washed-out.
3. Enlarge The Whole Room By Painting The Trim The Same Color.
To make the walls feel as though they are receding, you can paint the trim one subtle shade lighter or even the same color. While it’s not a terribly popular concept, it is something that is starting to catch on in some circles. A darker wall with a lighter ceiling can expand small spaces.
4. Paint A Feature Wall Darker To Draw The Eye.
Rooms with near architectural features like picture windows, pillars, archways, bookshelves, or fireplaces lend themselves well to bolder or darker paint colors. The rest of the walls can be a lighter tone. For example, you could paint the accent wall a rich sienna, the coordinating walls a neutral amber, and tie it all together with a light cream trim.
5. Use Wainscoting.
Wainscoting makes rooms feel bigger and taller. This architectural feature looks ideal in dining rooms, common areas, and even bathrooms.
6. Use Old World Dark Trim On White Or Cream Walls.
Colonial or Old World trims can be in black, barn red, mustard yellow, muted green or grey-blue. Rooms with big, beautiful windows can have the outdoor space accented by the use of darker trim. Keep in mind that natural wood trims can also attract the eye, however.
7. Widen A Narrow Room By Painting Horizontal Stripes.
A small, narrow nursery or bedroom can be made to appear wider if there are narrow, horizontal stripes painted on the walls. Rooms with low ceilings can be made taller by painting vertical stripes. Bringing together various neutral tones can give the impression of walking on an idyllic beach with the colors of sand, water, cloud and sky.
8. Use Two Different Colors.
Remember that cool colors recede and warm colors advance. You can widen a room by painting wide walls dark and short walls a lighter shade. In this photo, the accent wall is Benjamin Moore’s Montpelier and the shorter wall is Dunmore Cream. Down long hallways, you can paint the opposite ends darker and the narrow walls lighter to create a sense of “destination” and erase the undesirable tunnel effect. You can also make the hallway appear shorter by installing wood panels on the end walls.
9. Enlarge Small Square Rooms By Using Bold Complementary Colors.
10. Raise The Ceiling With Dark Walls & Bold Ceiling Paint.
Draw the eyes upward with a bold ceiling choice. This works especially well if you have darker or wood-paneled walls. Yet, it is also a popular modern design trend to pair with stark white walls as well.