Don't Sweat the Small Stuff... Paint it
(Paint colour is a simple and economical way to make a small space appear larger, as demonstrated in this powder room featuring CIL’s Magical Twilight (30RB 33/103) and Buffy (30YY 60/104). Whether you’re tackling one small room – like a powder room, sitting room or vestibule – or an entire condo, the same tricks apply to make ceilings look higher, entrances seem wider and walls appear to recede, Goldman says. There are several ways to create the illusion of space with paint, from choosing the right colour, to applying the right finish, to understanding the role of natural light, she adds.  CIL offers these big ideas for painting small spaces:• Draw the line: Painting a horizontal stripe around a small room actually makes it look deeper and wider. Whether the stripe is applied on all four walls or on only one wall as a focal point, the effect causes the eye to see the room as wider than it is. If the room is narrow or short, try painting thin vertical stripes in two tone-on-tone shades to achieve a similar effect. • Be a colour schemer: Cool colours, like soft blues, creams, purples and greens, will make even the smallest area feel open and airy. Choosing colours from the same colour family, and using different shades of a single colour, also helps. Dark colours are often thought to make a room seem smaller, but with the right selection, can be used to create a luxurious or intimate mood in your small space. Avoid contrasting colours, however, since they will be visually distracting. • Shed light on the matter: Lighting is key in opening up a space. Assess the amount of natural and artificial light coming into the room. Good lighting is known to make paint colour appear lighter, so rooms that have a lot of natural light may tolerate a warmer colour. Similarly, if there’s too much light, a cool colour choice may actually make a small space too icy. • Avoid distractions: The secret to painting a small area is to prevent visual distractions. Whenever something jumps out at you, the eye loses its sense of continuity and a person begins to feel cramped. Try painting the trim in the room a different shade of the main colour by adding black or white to the base. This will cause the trim to fade into the background. Use patterns sparingly. If you’ve been itching to try the latest in stencils and faux finishes, for example, a small room is not the best place to do it. • Have tricks up your sleeve: If you’re faced with low ceilings, make the walls appear taller by painting a one-foot border around the edge of the ceiling in the same colour as the walls. Another way to create the illusion of height is to paint the bottom half of a wall in a darker colour than the top. Using glossy paint sheens also makes ceilings look higher and rooms appear larger, because the resulting shiny surface reflects more light. "Small spaces are less forgiving than large ones so it’s important to plan ahead and think things through," says Goldman. "If all else fails, simply paint a room the same colour as your furniture – the room will appear so spacious, you’ll be wondering where the walls went." For more ideas about painting small spaces or to locate a CIL retailer near you, visit www.cil.ca or call 1-800-DURABLE (387-2253). |
|
Print this Article |
LBMAO |
 |
