How To Make A Room Look Bigger With Paint? (2023 Edition)

Do you live in a small apartment or have a room that feels cramped and cluttered? Do you want to make it feel and look more spacious and inviting? Fortunately, you don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in home renovations to make this happen. Believe it or not, simply changing up the paint job can make your low square footage space seem more spacious.

That’s right; a good combination of wall and ceiling colors can help trick a person’s view into thinking there is much more floor space than what already exists. In this article, we’ll share tips on how to make a room look bigger with paint. Let’s jump right into it!

What Color Paint Makes a Room Look Bigger?

Generally, bright colors tend to be the go-to when one wants to make a room look bigger. And while they do indeed give a feeling of spaciousness and airy stability, it’s worth noting that not all bright paint hues can help light up a small room and make it appear larger. It’s also worth mentioning that some darker tones and saturated colors can also help create a visual illusion of a large room if used properly.

Here are the top color paint choices when it comes to creating the illusion of a more spacious and airy ambiance for a given room.

White (In Its Many Shades and Hues)

White, in its many shades, tops our list, and for good reason. Its reflective surface creates an illusion of openness that helps make a room appear larger - even if you do not increase its actual size. The “lack of color” in white also creates a sense of simplicity, which can make a room feel airier. This effect can be enhanced further by paring white tones with glass accents and plenty of natural light.

Additionally, white is a versatile color so you don’t have to worry about it clashing with other colors in your room or architectural details.

Citrus Tones

Are you looking for a color that will not only make your small room feel bigger but also give it a burst of energy? Then citrus tones are the perfect fit for you. Yellow and orange are classic citrus tones that tend to bring much-needed energy and light into any space, making them an especially great choice for small interiors.

However, when using these colors be sure to pay attention to the brightness. Too much saturation can make the room feel overwhelming, and too much darkness may make it look even smaller than it is. The key is finding the right balance, one that provides just enough vibrancy without being overly saturated. We suggest you go for pale lemon or salmon-inspired hues.

Cool Light Gray

Making a small room appear bigger with paint doesn’t always mean creating more depth in a room, but rather creating a sense of flow and continuity throughout the space, making it feel more cohesive and visually connected.

One color that can achieve this is a cool light gray. This color has a neutral and serene feel to it, making it perfect for creating a sense of openness and flow throughout a room. Additionally, the cool undertones of the gray help reflect light, making the room feel brighter and airy.

Dark Colors

If you’re a sucker for luxury and looking for a color that’ll not only make your small room appear bigger but also add a touch of elegance, then dark colors such as deep emerald green, midnight blue, or dark teal can be an excellent choice.

These rich hues have the ability to create a sense of depth and dimension in a small space by drawing the eye to the walls, creating the illusion of height, and making the space feel more expansive and less cluttered. Additionally, these colors have a grounding effect, making the space feel cozy and inviting.

How Do You Make a Long Narrow Room Look Wider With Paint?

There are several techniques that can be used to make a long narrow room appear wider using paint. Here are some of them:

Use a Monochromatic Color Scheme

One way to make a long narrow room look wider with paint is to use a monochromatic color scheme. This involves selecting one color and using variations of that color on the walls, ceiling, and floor. This can help create a sense of continuity, which can make the space feel larger and more cohesive.

Paint the Shorter Walls With a Darker Color Than the Longer Walls

Another technique is to paint the shorter walls with a darker shade than the longer walls. This will help draw attention away from the length of the room and redirect focus to its width instead, creating an optical illusion that makes your space appear wider. When choosing shades for this technique, pick hues that are only slightly different in order to create subtle contrast that won’t overwhelm your space.

Match the Ceiling and Longer Walls

The last thing you want is for people’s eyes to be drawn up toward your ceiling when they enter your room because this will only emphasize its length even more! To avoid this, try painting your ceiling and longer walls in similar shades so that they blend together seamlessly without drawing too much attention toward them. This trick will help create an overall sense of unity that makes your room appear wider than it really is.

What Color Ceiling Makes a Room Look Bigger?

Sure, changing up the paint job of your walls can go a long way to making a room look bigger. But if you really want to pull off an illusion of increased space and create a seamless flow, you should consider painting the ceiling too.

What ceiling color should you choose? As a general rule of thumb; it’s best to pick colors that make your ceiling appear higher. Think lighter colors such as creamy whites or light tints of grays for higher impact.

What Patterns Make a Room Look Bigger?

The paint pattern is also an important consideration when it comes to creating the illusion of a more spacious and airy space. Vertical stripes can be used to create the impression of greater height in a room, while horizontal stripes make a room look longer.

As you can see, paint has the ability to transform a space and make it look much bigger than it is. Just be sure to choose the right color scheme for you and you’ll be able to maximize the potential of your small room. If you’re feeling a bit unsure, don’t hesitate to contact our professional painters here at Great Plains Painting for help in selecting the perfect colors for your unique space.