"10 Clever Design Tricks for Making Small Rooms Look Bigger"
If there’s a certain room in your home that lacks space, you need to pull out every trick in the book to make it look bigger. Making a small space appear larger requires strategic furniture placement, proper use of lighting and, perhaps more important than anything else, using the right paint colours for small rooms. While we can’t help you increase your square footage, we can help you fake a larger space with the magic of paint. From bold and dark to light and bright, take a look at some of the best colours for small rooms.
PALE NEUTRALS
If you aren’t feeling the all-white, add in a hint of colour without diving in the deep end. Beiges, such as Cool Beans, Sugar Puff and Stone Rosie, introduce warmth with the airy feel of a bright neutral. When you pair pale beige wall paint ( watch out for our soon to launch range of chalk wall paints) with furniture in a similar colour palette, you will create the impression of an open and seamless space.
PURPLE
Believe it or not, but bold and bright colours work incredibly well in small spaces. Opt for a bright jewel-toned Plum Pudding, a lighter shabby chic Parma Violet type of purple, or a moody lavender such as Stormy to incorporate into the space. These colours would be too in-your-face all over a giant wall but look amazing in cosy nooks and small bedrooms.
GREY
The smaller the space, the darker you can go. Used sparingly, dark colour creates the idea of depth, which can actually make small rooms look bigger. The good news is there are so many greys among the three Frenchic ranges to choose from (10 and growing!).
The cool grey colours make the space feel fresher and brighter than warm ones, so it helps to create the impression of more room. A gunmetal grey such as Smudge and Panther are modern and sophisticated, yet still cosy and inviting. A blue-grey like Greyhound works well as a cool tone; while a soft pebble grey such as City Slicker and Grey Pebble help to add a hint of hue without committing to a staple colour. There are just so many Frenchic greys that work well in smaller rooms.
BLACK
The darkest colour in a small room? Hear us out. A velvety black paint such as our ever-popular Blackjack, Loof and Panther blur the corners and lines of the room and create a bigger space visually. It tricks the eye into thinking the bedroom is bigger than it is because the corners cannot easily be identified. Paint the skirting boards, window trim, windowsill and ceiling the same hue to create this effect. This brave technique makes the room appear larger and higher because there are fewer lines and colours cutting through. If you are not quite ready for dramatic walls, try our blacks out on your bedroom furniture contrasting against paler walls.
BLUSHES AND PINKS
A soft shade of blush or dusty pink such as Dusky Blush, Nougat, Love Letter and Ballerina are top contenders for best colour for a small bedroom as they makes the space feel cheery and light. Using a blush pink such as Dusky Blush emulates golden hour at sunset, which helps to warm up the room. Pair it with soft white furnishings for a more classic feel or matte black for an industrial contrast. For the adventurous, take your ducky blushes and paint all over your the walls of a small bedroom. Be sure to paint the ceiling in the same hue for an enveloping feel to help the small space look and feel larger.
PASTELS PAIRED WITH BRIGHT COLOURS
Soft colours are always going to be a winner in small spaces. These non-committal colours showcase the room with a hue without being overbearing and shocking. When it comes to pastel colour, it’s personal preference. While colours such as Nougat, Wise Old Sage, Heavenly Blue, Wedgwood Green, Parma Violet, Scotch Mist and Duckling are always a favourite, they pair up really well with something a little more vivid such as teals like Mermaid for a Day, Anguilla and Steel Teal.
OFF-WHITE
Do you want to maximise the light in the small bedroom? If the room has lots of natural light coming through the windows, opt for an off-white such as Wedding Cake and Ivory Tower, or creamy shades like Cream Dream, Creme de la Creme, Stone Rosie and Polar Bear. These colours also work exceptionally well in smaller rooms. The light shades will blend into the light outside, helping to create a seamless transition that makes the space feel bigger. The lighter off-white paint will also add a hint of warmth while keeping things airy.
What About The Worst Paint Colours?
Now you can see that you aren’t limited to solid white in a small bedroom. Even so, there are some paint colours for small rooms that should be avoided.
Bright White – It may seem like the perfect paint colour for a small room, but it can end up making it look boxy and bland. Pure white shows up every shadow and dark corner in the room, which makes it look smaller than it is. If you want to use white in small rooms, limit its usage.
Red – Red paint works well in many spaces, but a small room isn’t one of them. The energy and warmth of a bold red heats up the small room and can leave you feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated. Red is better left as an accent colour. If you want to use red in the small bedroom, transform a chest of drawers or chair with the likes of Hot Lips and Flamenco to create a statement piece that moves the eye away from the small walls.
A colour you don’t love – Don’t be tempted to choose a colour just because it makes your bedroom look larger. Your goal is to find paint that makes your space look good and makes you happy. Remember, there are many paint colours to choose from, so don’t write off a colour just because you don’t like one of the tints. While you don’t like indigo, you could love lavender. If you can’t find a way to use your desired paint colour, try using your favourite colour as an accent, combined with a few neutrals.
Information and photos courtesy: Frenchic Furniture Paint