Using Paint To Change The Perceived Dimensions Of Rooms
When selecting new colours for your walls, you might be aware that different hues elicit various moods. But the right shades can also give the illusion that a room is larger or smaller than it is. Here's how to use paint to your advantage.
Making A Room Larger
Different hues can trick the eyes into making a room seem more spacious. Use a cool, pale colour on walls to make them visually recede, giving the impression that they're further away. This will make the place feel larger and roomier. Because pale hues reflect light, the space will be brighter as well, adding to the illusion.
Another technique is to paint the walls, mouldings and window trim the same colour, maintaining pale and cool tones throughout. This cohesion visually extends the wall area instead of breaking it up with contrast, which tends to shrink it. Don't forget about the ceiling. Continuing the flow across this fifth surface with the same soft shade will also help.
When it gets to the decorating stage, you can multiply the impact by matching the window treatments to the wall colour. The same principle applies when selecting the colour of cabinetry in a kitchen. Repeating the wall colour across the cupboard doors avoids dividing the area into bits and pieces.
Drawing In The Walls
To achieve the opposite result in a room, make the opposite kinds of choices with paint colours. For a more intimate space, use a darker, warmer hue. This will visually draw the walls closer for a cozy impact; the area will also be less bright because dark surfaces absorb light. Then, use contrast to break up the wall and decrease its dimensions. Paint the crown mouldings and window trim in a contrasting hue, breaking the overall area into segments.
Dealing With Narrow Rooms
All these visual illusions come into play when dealing with a narrow room, which you want to feel squarer. Pick darker colours for the end or short walls to bring them forward and to make them feel closer. Then, use a lighter shade on the long walls to push them further apart. This will help to balance the room's proportions. Another trick is to install a large wall mirror on one of the long walls, which will visually push it outwards and thus widen the room so that you don't need to resort to moving actual walls to change a room's feel. Using the right colours when hiring interior painting services is much simpler and quicker.
For more information, contact a company that offers interior painting services.
Share
