In order to enhance size, do you use light or dark paint color for small and large rooms? How about ceilings?

Question

I'm going to paint the inside of my house in Florida. The tile floors are all terra cotta. I've decided to paint all the rooms different shades of terra cotta from very light to somewhat dark. Should I paint the two small bedrooms a light color (including the ceiling using the same color) in order to make it seem larger? How about the LR which has a vaulted ceiling? Dark colors to make it cozy? Again, how about the ceiling in this large room? The rooms all have quite a bit of natural light.

How about the trim? And the doors? White? or maybe a cream?

Answer 1

I dont think I would paint the walls a simalar color or shade that is in your floor.
Once you do will loose the beauty of your floor because the walls are the same colors/shades as the floors and everything will just blend together.

You could paint the livingroom dark because of it's size and ceiling height. Do not paint the ceiling in the livingroom the same color as the walls and floor, it will bring the ceiling right to the floor you will be in a box with the cover on.

Try painting the smaller rooms a ligther accent color to terra cotta, depending on your taste and furnishings.
Do the same in all the rooms an accent complemtary color to terra cotta on the walls and a white or very light shade of the wall color on your ceilings. Depending on your taste and desired look semil and gloss paint on the ceilings are great for reflecting light and adding an ambeince to the room you wouldnt have with flat ceinging paint. Your lights and candles will glimmer reflections off the ceilings, lending a nice feel to the room at night.

Trim color is tough if you want light crisp and clean and your walls are light you would use light trim white, off white, a white tinted to hint the wall color ever so slightly.

Having light walls and dark trim really pops the trim and if you have doors, windows, floor and ceingling trim you will have one very busy room with just trim. Blend your trim to the wall if it isnt significant and ornate a lighter color to soften and dark color to pop and grab your attention.

Answer 2

As a general rule-of-thumb, the lighter the color, the bigger the effect. Ceilings should always be a version of white; by that I mean there are dozens of shades of white. Choose the shade that best complements your walls. If you go with a terra cotta color in your LR, you would want to go with a creamy warm shade of white as opposed to a stark bluish white. You'll see the differences when you compare the color sample cards alongside your wall color.
If you don't mind a suggestion, you might reconsider having your entire home so monochromatic. While I understand wanting to keep in the theme of your tile floors, terra cotta can be exquisite with other colors, such as a bright grass green. Don't be afraid of color!
Choose one room where you spend the most time--your kitchen, a sewing room, an office--and think of what your very favorite color is. It's OK to paint one wall with that one favorite color and have it be the focal point of the room with your best pieces of art or your most cherished photographs on a shelf. It's all about what brings you pleasure and joy, not just what looks "nice".
I used to paint every single wall in my home a beige or some lost shade of antique white. Then I met a gal who was into feng shui.
She gave me some ideas about having one wall of a white room painted a bright Chinese red or a cranberry to invoke a heightened excitement when entering the room. And then add a lamp or a large vase of the same color. We tried it in my teen-aged son's room: One red wall, the ceiling and others walls a clean, stark white and a black bedspread!! He loves it.
Pick up a book (or go online) to get ideas about the energy that can be directed to an entranceway or a small room by use of color. The worst that can happen is you'll have to paint over it.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!
Grace in Cali

Answer 3

Well if you want your room to look bigger go with a light color and a dark trim,or light on light . Remember the color of a room sets the mood. (Earth tones are good) as far as the ceiling goes go with flat white and if you have popcorn ceilings get rid of it. med. text is the way to go. Doors are always semi to satin finish, and crown molding makes a big difference.

Answer 4

I bought a 1971 house that hideous ugly, dark wood paneling in several rooms.....
The rooms looked bigger with the ugly dark colors, because it was difficult to see where the room ended....
When i painted over in beige, the room looked much smaller, because the borders were very well defined....
I don't care what anybody says, i say dark color make the room look bigger....
BUT...who wants an ugly, dreary, dark colored room? Keep it light and bright.

Answer 5

light colors make a room look larger...always paint a ceiling white to make a room look larger. I wouldn't worry about larger rooms for shades if you have natural light.

Answer 6

You've figured it out already, smart lady. I like your ideas very much! I woul keep the trim white. And yes lighter in the smaller rooms. Dark colors will make a very nice contrast, richly inviting in the living room.

Answer 7

Light colors make the room appear larger.