My color advice on apartment therapy...
dear apt. therapy, thanks for post!
According to Anne Viggiano, one great way to open up a small space is to use warm whites, like Cloud White by Benjamin Moore or Coconut by C2 Paint. “The natural and neutral bases in these colors pair perfectly with hardwoods, and other natural materials so you cannot go wrong,” Anne shares.
She also recommends painting the walls and the trim the same exact color but in two different sheens. This adds dimension without grabbing any attention away from the furnishings.
For those that aren’t afraid of a little drama, she also suggest Smoke & Mirrors by Benjamin Moore. “This color is a green-based neutral, and it’s cozy without being too dark to ensure that you still get light reflectivity in a small space,” she shares. “If you can change the common perspective that small rooms shouldn’t be dark, and embrace the warmth of a darker tone, you will be surprised how at home it will feel and your attention will go to the lit areas and not the seemingly constricting boundaries of the smaller space.”
Anne Viggiano, a Seattle designer,suggests some painting tips to make a small space feel a little bit bigger. First, she advises painting the ceilings and walls the same color, and having a low contrast between the trim and the walls. “You will lessen the visual clutter and the edges will disappear, making the room feel expansive,” she explains.
She also notes that painting the ceiling in a pale pink color helps to reduce the appearance of a gray ceiling. “Typical white flat painted ceilings appear gray when cast in shadows, as ceilings often are. This can add to a small space feeling darker,” she shares. “If you are deliberate about your ceilings, and use a pale pink like Benjamin Moore Soft Shell, you will get a warm, reflected light onto your skin and then you have your ceiling working for you! It’s an often ignored, but hugely important surface.”
One last tip from Anne has to do with the windows. “If you have a large window wall in your small space, or a sliding door system, paint that wall and the window trim in a darker tone to frame the outdoor view and bring your eye out to the light,” she shares. Then paint the remaining walls in a warm white. She promises this won’t make the room itself feel darker since the window walls are usually in shadow anyway, but will add drama to the room if you want to add a little more character to the space.