Build.com For Pros: Colors to Make a Room Look Bigger

Color plays a huge role in how a room looks and feels. Upholstery, window treatments, rugs, and art pieces all play into your room's color scheme. Very few choices have as much of an impact as the paint color you pick for a space.

Colors that make a room look bigger aren't hard to come by. While your pick will depend on the overall design scheme, there are a range of options when looking for paint colors to make a room look bigger. The right colors can add drama to a space, make a room look more refined, and encourage new colors and patterns that wouldn't work before.

Use this guide to learn more about choosing colors that make a room look bigger. There are also a few techniques to help you make the most of a fresh coat of paint.

Keep it Classic with White

Simplicity often rules the roost when trying to make a small space feel larger. White is one of those go-to colors that make a room look bigger in any sort of design scheme. That's because a stark white wall provides a lot of contrast against furnishings, rugs, window treatments, and everything else in the room.

Using white on the walls in a room with lots of dark, dramatic colors can provide the illusion of more depth in the space. Combine white paint with white trim and you've got a classic style that will make almost any room feel a little larger.

If you're painting over a dark color with white or another light color, make sure you use a high-quality primer before you begin. Primers are an essential opaque first coat when you're trying to cover a dark color with a light one.

Opt for Neutral Paint Colors

Neutral interior paint colors like cream, taupe, sand, and pure snow white are incredibly easy to work with. Much like white, these soft, gentle colors offer the illusion of depth since they are less saturated than their darker counterparts.

Neutral paint colors don't have quite the same modern look as bright white. If you're working with a traditional space, or prefer a more calming tone in a bedroom or family area, neutrals are an excellent pick.

Adding white trim to a neutral wall paint can help brighten up a room even more and take away some of the visual boundary that makes a space look smaller. White trim will also modernize a space that's a bit more transitional than traditional.

Go Bold with a Bright Design

White and neutral paint colors are spectacular options when trying to figure out how to make a small room look bigger. They're not the only option, though. In some cases, a bold paint color can work well too.

If you opt for a bold paint color, go with a bright design, not a dark color. Think pinks, pastels, vibrant blues, and sunny yellows. Dark colors like rich greens and ocean blue can be lovely in some spaces, but they also absorb a lot of light, making your room look smaller.

When you use bright colors to make a room look bigger, you'll almost always want to opt for a bright white ceiling and trim. They'll enlarge your space even more by visually expanding the boundaries of your room.

Paint Techniques to Enlarge Any Space

The right paint colors can go a long way toward helping make a small room look bigger. Smart techniques can provide even more depth to your room. 

Use these tips when designing a small space:

• Use the same paint color for adjoining rooms. When you match paint colors, either in an open floor plan, or in a home where you can simply see through the doorway of the next room, you ensure that the viewer's eye keeps moving. This provides the effect of a larger overall space.
• Paint your ceiling a brighter color to make a small room look bigger. While you can opt for a different paint color, you likely don't want to draw this much attention to your ceiling. Instead, choose the same color as the room, just a few shades lighter on the paint chart. 
• Use an accent wall if you want to add color to a small room. Use white paint in combination with your accent wall to keep the space open and make it feel bigger. 
• Consider an eggshell paint color instead of a flat paint. Eggshell reflects more light, but the extra sheen typically isn't bright enough to be seen by the naked eye.
• Use semi-gloss or high-gloss paint for trim around doors and windows. It will reflect light more and is easier to clean, especially when dealing with high-touch spaces like windowsills and door frames.

Paint is a cost-effective solution for making a room look bigger, bolder, and brighter. When it comes to making a room appear bigger, look for the right shade of white, the ideal neutral, or an assortment of colors to customize any size space. Specialty paint products can be used to include texture and additional depth.