I will be moving into a smaller sized room in my friends apartment but I was just wondering if there are any painting tips that would make the room seem bigger.

Thanks

My understanding is that it's whites and light pastels make a room seem bigger and darker colours that make it seem smaller.

However, my own experience is that the difference in perception is small. The darker room seems to be almost the same size as the lighter room.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nestor,

To my eyes, a slightly dark wall (medium tan, medium grey) with pure white trim (casing, base and crown) makes the room look a little bigger.

I think stark contrast in the trim/walls/furnishings can create more closing in of a space?
So my vote would be try to keep it all similar in tone, if not similar in the color itself. If it tends to blend together your eye travels over and beyond objects rather than seeing barriers?

Might choose a bedcover and shade or blind to match, as that will often be large color blocks for the room. (and paint is lots easier to opt a color in, than the fabrics)

For example we had a Birch cabinet, Galley kitchen and once the cabinets were painted a cream color, the walls, ceiling and counters matching very close to that cream...guests said it seemed to expand by a couple of feet!

It is believed that light colours and different variations of white make rooms look bigger but as my experience shows, the white cannot make your room look bigger and better. Try to decorate your room nicely and give it a bit of a character. You will achieve a much better look and feel than painting it white to look bigger.


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A small room is a small room. Use small scale furniture and paint it a color you like. It's not going to look bigger no matter what the color. It is the contrast between the furniture size and the room that will make it look bigger.

A ceiling painted in a lighter shade than the walls supposedly makes it seem higher. It's a different way of making it look bigger but it may work.

light colors, minimal glop stuck on the walls, and correctly-sized furniture all work to make a room scale "larger." windows certainly help, but a large mirror placed so it's visible on entry can fake it -- say, on the right, so it picks up the wall between you and it.

by correctly-sized furniture, I mean you don't slam a queen size bed and three dressers in a room that's 8x8. makes it look like stuff packed floor to ceiling in a stor-all stall.

The white & bright colors make the room brighter! Arrange your furniture correct way & use correct-sized furniture to look it specious.

Jaybee is on the right track. White trim with light colored walls makes the room brighter and therefore appears to be bigger. You can also use mirrors on one of the longer walls to bounce the reflection off of, and try to use minimalist furniture for decorating. Clutter can make a room seem smaller. Glass top tables and acrylic furniture are good for smaller rooms because they are transparent, giving the room the feeling of openness.