3 Tips for Making a Space Seem Bigger with Interior Painting

We tend to like larger spaces where we don’t have them. This is a common lament for homeowners looking to put a personal stamp on their homes. Windows are always in the wrong place, or the room seems to absorb light rather than omit it. Today, we will offer three tips for making a space seem bigger than it is, using paint.

Choose the Correct Sheen

Probably the most important element that makes a room seem large or small is how it scatters light. The most important element of paint that affects how it scatters light is the sheen. Even medium to large rooms can appear small when the walls are painted with flat paint. A flat sheen paint reflects almost no light, so it can be used to make a room seem cozier. The opposite is also true, so using eggshell and semi-gloss sheens will usually make the room seem bigger. Light is reflected much easier with eggshell and semi-gloss sheens because they allow light to bounce around the room.

Draw Focus Away From The Area

An example of redirecting the viewer’s focus might be a corner window. Modern construction designs have a habit of placing windows in very inconvenient places, like a corner. Many times this renders the corner basically useless, as furniture placed in front of it makes the problem worse by blocking the light. Worse yet, our eyes are drawn to these areas because they stand out as odd.

Interior designers often use accent colors to redirect attention away from these areas to make the room appear larger than it is. In combination with furniture placement and wall accouterments, these designers will often use light wall shades in combination with deep, rich colors to draw attention to a painting, vase, or another focal point. This method often uses window treatments as well to provide better control of the ambient light, as well as large mirrors to create the illusion of space.

Use Light Shades

This one might be obvious, but it also works. Just as flat sheens reflect almost no light, dark colors make rooms seem smaller than they are. Using light colors expands the room, especially since most ceilings are already a light color. In fact, whites and off-whites almost have a mirror effect, which is why most homes use this technique. Designers suggest adding deep, contrasting colors to these rooms with furniture or decorations to define boundaries and establish intentional focal points in the room.

We can use paint to make the room seem bigger in this situation in two ways, depending on the room. For example, if we want to draw attention away from the corner, we can use wall paint that coordinates with dense window coverings, like drapes or blinds.