How to Change the Look and Feel of a Room with Paint Colors
When you are choosing paint colors for a room, how you want the room to feel is an important factor to keep in mind. With color, you can make it feel more open or more intimate, relaxing or energizing, somber or cheerful.
Here are some tips on how to use paint color to change the look and feel of a room.
Paint Color Tips
Making a room feel larger and more open
A light paint color is one of the most effective ways to create a feeling of openness in a room and make it feel more expansive. If a space lacks sufficient natural light, light colors will help bounce whatever light is available in the space. Also, if the space is small, light paint colors will enlarge it and keep your eye moving throughout the space.
The same is true for low ceilings. To create more height in the space, paint the ceiling in a lighter color. It will stretch it and make it feel more open.
Making a room feel cozier
Sometimes, large rooms can lack a sense of coziness. Dark colors are great for creating more warmth and intimacy in spaces like those. While light colors open up a room, darker colors make it contract by absorbing light. Even painting one or two walls in a dark accent color will make it feel cozier.
For a room with high ceilings, a dark color on the ceiling will lower the apparent height of it and bring it closer so it doesn’t feel quite as cavernous.
Creating a sense of relaxation
Color has a strong effect on psychology. You can take advantage of this to create the mood you want in a room. To make a space feel more relaxing and serene, choose paint colors that are soft in tone and hue. Blue is one of the best choices because it makes us think of calming ocean waves and clear, blue skies. Another relaxing color choice is green because it reminds us of nature. You can pair these with soft neutrals to create an elegant, comfortable space that will put you right at ease.
Creating a cheerful, energetic vibe
Color is also powerful enough to affect your mood. Want to feel more energized and positive when you walk into a room? Incorporate bright, bold colors. Yellow is considered the most joyful color in the rainbow; it brightens one’s mood and makes the overall vibe in a space more uplifting. Orange is a very energetic color. People often use it in exercise rooms because it has been known to have an actual affect on some people’s psychology to make them feel more energized and motivated.
Pay attention to what you love
When you’re decorating your own home, pay attention to how different colors make you feel. Is there something about the color purple that inspires you? Maybe you absolutely love the color blush pink and feel happy when you’re around it. Take note of the instinctive reaction you have to different colors and make it a point to surround yourself with them, even if they’re only accent colors.