Have you ever walked into a room and noticed there was “something” about the way it was painted?
Maybe it was how the colors made you feel, or the way the paint colors added to the overall ambiance of the space.
If you’re wanting to give the rooms in your home or business and new look and feel, you’re in the right place.
We’ll share how paint can change a room in look and mood, including what colors to choose to give your room the perfect vibe.
Table of Contents
- How Does Paint Change a Room?
- How Does Paint Color Affect a Room? What the Research Says
- 8 Paint Colors and How They Affect Your Emotions and Mood
- How Does Color Affect Room Size?
- 7 Ways to Use Paint to Change the Perspective of a Room
- Are You Ready to Change the Look of Your Rooms? Two Brothers Painting Can Help
How Does Paint Change a Room?
There are endless ways paint can change a room, including making it appear:
- Larger
- Smaller
- Wider
- More narrow
- Taller; or
- More compact
Paint can change the mood and feel of a room. It may also be used to hide things like HVAC vents or draw attention to a room’s special features.
Do you have a room in need of a facelift? Two Brothers Painting can help!
For twenty years, customers have relied on our skilled and experienced professionals for all their exterior and interior painting projects.
Give us a call today and let us help you choose just the right color of paint to give your room the perfect look.
How Does Paint Color Affect a Room? What the Research Says
Paint color can have a huge effect on both the look of a room and the mood of the people in the room.
One study on college students analyzed the psychological effects of colors on individual students — revealing that the color of a room can impact both feelings and focus.
8 Paint Colors and How They Affect Your Emotions and Mood
Did you know that colors can affect your mood and emotions? It’s true!
Here are a few examples of how a specific color can make you feel:
#1: Green
The color green is strongly associated with nature, making us think of grass, trees, and forests.
Green can make us feel:
- Refreshed
- Calm
- Peaceful
- Relaxed
- Optimistic; and
- Motivated
#2: Red
Red is considered to be the warmest and most contradictory of all the colors.
The color red is linked to:
- Passion
- Strong emotions
- Courage
- Love
- Power; and
- Anger
#3: Blue
Frequently found in the natural setting, blue is the color of water and the daytime sky.
The color blue is said to be the color most preferred by men, and is frequently described as making people feel:
- Calm
- Serene
- Safe
- Inspired; and
- Secure
#4: Yellow
The many hues of yellow are known for evoking feelings of:
- Self-confidence
- Cheerfulness; and
- Optimism
#5: Orange
The color orange generally brings about feelings of:
- Happiness
- Confidence
- Attentiveness
- Energy; and
- Playfulness
#6: Brown
Brown is a solid, earthy color that may often be thought of as dull or boring.
In reality, the color brown is known for evoking feelings of:
- Stability
- Resilience
- Dependability
- Safety
- Security
- Warmth; and
- Comfort
#7: Black
Black is one of those colors that people either love or hate.
The color black is known for helping people feel:
- Calm
- Creative; and
- Powerful
#8: White
White generally evokes feelings of:
- Serenity
- Cleanliness
- Purity
- Simplicity; and
- New beginnings
How Does Color Affect Room Size?
Not only does color play a part in the way you feel in a room, the colors you choose for your walls also have a great effect on the way you perceive the size of your rooms.
Paint color can make a room seem:
- Larger
- Smaller
- Wider; or
- More narrow
The color of paint on the walls can “raise” the ceiling, or create a more cozy feel by making the ceiling seem lower.
7 Ways to Use Paint to Change the Perspective of a Room
It really is amazing to see the drastic difference paint color can make in a room.
The same room, painted in two, three, or more ways, will appear to be a completely different space.
Next, we will delve into the tips and tricks you will need to know to use paint to create the spaces of your dreams.
#1: How to Widen a Room With Paint
Some houses have narrow rooms that can feel like they are closing in on you.
Are you wondering how to design a room with paint to make it appear wider than it really is?
If you have a narrow room, consider painting both the accent wall and the ceiling in a darker color.
When you choose the same dark color for both your accent wall and the ceiling, while painting the remaining walls a lighter hue, you create the illusion of a wider space.
Another option is to use chair rail (also known as a dado rail). This decorative molding is easily applied to your wall, can be painted any color you choose, and will dramatically affect the look of a room.
If you use a darker color below the chair rail, the room will appear wider.
On the other hand, if you want to make your room appear more narrow, try the opposite. Keep the paint color of the ceiling and far wall light and bright, while painting the remaining walls a darker color. This closes off the space, making a wide room appear to be more narrow than it really is.
#2:How to Shorten a Room With Paint
Do you have a room that just seems to go on and on and on?
If you’re wondering how paint can change a room that seems way too long, we’ve got the answer.
Simply paint the back wall with a dark shade of paint, such as …
- Black
- Brown
- Navy; or
- Deep gray
… and you’ll have a more intimate space by creating a definite end to the never-ending feel of an elongated room.
The chair rail trick we mentioned above can come in handy here, too.
This time, you will want to paint the chair rail a lighter color than the walls. Doing this will cause your eyes to follow along the horizontal length, making the room seem shorter than it actually is.
On the flip side, you can easily make a room feel longer than it is with a dark-colored ceiling and matching accent wall.
#3: How to Make a Room Feel Larger With Paint
Do you have a small room that feels a little cramped? Light paint colors will give you the illusion of space you are looking for.
Shades of …
- Crisp white
- Light gray
- Greige (somewhere between gray and beige)
- Cream
- Blush pink
- Light coral
- Ivory
- Pale green
- Yellow; or
- Sky blue
… can all make a room seem more spacious by enabling your eye to travel continuously around the perimeter of the room.
And if you want to make a room feel as large as possible, just stick with one color.
When you use different colors of paint in a room, your eye stops at the line where the color changes. This creates boundaries and makes the edges, and the overall size of the room, much more apparent.
But when you paint the entire room the same color, you don’t see boundaries — which gives the illusion of a much larger space.
#4: How to Make a Room Feel Smaller With Paint
What if you want to create a space that feels cozy, comforting, and intimate? A space where your family can gather for movies and popcorn, or just relax and chill.
You will want to consider using darker colors and shades of paint, such as:
- Navy blue,
- Black
- Forest green
- Deep gray
- Dark teal; or
- Charcoal
And if you want to go all-in with the snug and cozy feel and create a space that feels like a warm hug, you can even paint your ceiling a dark color to pull it all together.
#5: How to Make Ceilings Look Higher With Paint
In days gone by, most houses were built with high ceilings. If high ceilings are still the look you are dreaming of, a can of paint can help create the illusion that your ceilings are higher than they actually are.
You can easily give your room the perception of more height by painting a lighter color on the ceiling
In order to achieve the optimum illusion of height, try painting a darker color on the walls with a lighter colored ceiling.
Or you could opt for painting the walls with vertical stripes. Your eyes will be drawn to the stripes, following them to the ceiling and creating an illusion of added height.
#6: How to Make Ceilings Look Lower With Paint
What do you do if you have high ceilings, but want to make them appear lower to add a more intimate feel to your room?
It’s easy. A dark ceiling, with light walls, will trick your brain into thinking the ceiling is lower than it really is.
#7: How to Highlight Key Features With Paint
Do you have a …
- Gorgeous fireplace
- Antique wooden mantel; or
- Treasured piece of artwork
… that you would like to highlight in your room?
Again, paint is the answer!
If you want to draw attention to a focal point in a room, paint the wall that features your focal piece a lighter color, while keeping the remaining walls dark.
By doing this, when you walk into the room, your eyes will be immediately drawn to the light wall — and the piece you are wanting to highlight.
Are You Ready to Change the Look of Your Rooms? Two Brothers Painting Can Help
If you are ready to see how paint can change a room in your home or business – consult the experts at Two Brothers Painting. Our team will walk you through tricks of color and paint placement to help you make the most of your space.
At Two Brothers Painting, our motto is to treat every customer the way we would like to be treated — while painting every home in the Portland metro area like it is our own.
We are the #1 Beaverton painting company, and you can count on us to get the job done right — every time.
Get in touch with us today and see the difference a fresh coat of paint can make.