Eight paint tricks to make a room feel bigger

Go for the gloss

‘Gloss paint is another choice to consider when thinking about maximizing the feeling of space in a room’, says Patrick O’Donnell. ‘The finishing will help bounce light and blur the boundaries of where the room ends’. Patrick urges us to remember that ‘cool colors “reduce” and warm colors “forward” so err on the side of pale blues and grays and avoid reds or yellows’, he advises.

Choose cool colors

‘Lighter shades naturally make a space feel open and airy, while cool tones are muted, increasing the sense of space,’ says Tash. ‘I like soft blues like ‘Blue 01’ and minty ‘Blue 02′. They mimic the sky and create a joyful, calm feeling. Green also works well in small spaces, as do the soft blush tones of light pink – they create a warm yet expansive atmosphere.’

At the other end of the spectrum, ‘deep, warm tones are fantastic for creating a snug, cocooning effect, but they tend to make a room feel smaller’, warns Tesch. ‘If your goal is to open up the space, try to stay away from rich, deep reds, dark oranges, warm browns and beiges, and heavy, ocher yellows. Instead, if you like these shades, use them as accents — perhaps through cushions, throws or artwork — rather than a wall color’.

Paint the ceiling

On this hallway is a deep mustard yellow ceiling Alden Hall Cold blue walls in Scotland offer a terrific contrast – adding some excitement to the space, but staying comfortably in the realm of taste.

Paul Massey

Farrow & Ball Color Consultant Joa Studholme advises that ‘the choice of color for the ceiling is just as important as for the walls. You should consider the room as a whole. A bright white on the ceiling will make the walls darker as well as make you more aware of where the walls end and the ceiling begins; Due to which the height of the roof decreases. Either use a complementary white (something with the same base color as the walls) or if you’re brave use the same color on the walls, woodwork and ceiling – it’s not as scary as it sounds!’.

If you’re opting for a complementary white color, Edward Bulmer has some ideas on what will work and what won’t. ‘I wouldn’t paint the ceiling dark if you want to give a sense of scale’, he says. ‘But I would never paint it stark white, just a light white like ‘Spanish White’, our favorite roof colour’. If you’re keen to use a hint of colour, Tash from Lick suggests sticking to cooler tones, her favorites being ‘light blue, soft green or off-white with subtle blue undertones. These colors create the illusion of a taller room because cool hues naturally recede, making the ceiling seem higher and the space more open.