QFrom favorite paint colors to specialized design advice, Benjamin Moore’s color and design experts have the answers to a common homeowner question: How do I make a small room look bigger and brighter?
Lighter paint colors like off-whites, light neutrals, pales, and pastels give the illusion of larger, brighter rooms. Here, we dive deeper into this topic with 5 specific painting techniques to make rooms look bigger, brighter, and more beautiful.
What Colors Make a Room Look Bigger?
“For a small space, nothing beats airy blues and crisp whites,” says Nivara Xaykao, Benjamin Moore color and design expert.
“Blues recede, which can give the illusion of opening up a space,” she explains. A light shade of blue, like Smoke 2122-40, shown here on the ceiling, is ideal for dimmer spaces.
How do you make a room without windows look brighter? “To brighten up a room that doesn’t get a lot of natural light, consider a clean white paint with warm, sunny undertones like Swiss Coffee OC-45, Acadia White OC-38, and White Chocolate OC-127.”
Use Accent Wall Colors to Make a Room Look Bigger
“For smaller spaces, I always recommend using a bright color to create a focal point, says Hannah Yeo, Benjamin Moore color and design expert. “I then use lighter hues for the rest of the space. I also recommend minimal décor when it comes to smaller spaces.”
Here, a redaccent wall in Tomato Tango CSP-1145 instantly draws the eye’s attention and creates the illusion of depth.
“In this kitchen, the off-white wall color and cabinets make the narrow space look wider and brighter,” Hannah adds.
“In this kitchen, the off-white wall color and cabinets make the narrow space look wider and brighter,” Hannah adds.
