Using Color in Small Spaces

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Even in the smallest room, changing up the colors can add a lot of appeal to your home. People often worry a lot about what colors to use when decorating a small living space. The old adage about the wrong color making a small room appear even smaller than it really is largely a myth.Using color can definitely redefine a room, though - we're going to look at a few different ways to effectively use color in a small space.You can merge two rooms into one and give a more open appearance by using a single color scheme in both rooms.

This is a method which works well both for rooms which are actually open to each other, such as a kitchen and dining room or rooms which are all within the same sightlines. You can use this technique with great effect on living rooms and dining rooms with archways between them or a office attached to a bedroom. You can even incorporate the same color scheme into all of the common areas in your home to give your dwelling a consistent aesthetic.

Solid Colors Can Add Depth

Solid colors can add depth to a room. Take for instance this small kitchen in a Manhattan apartment. This kitchen used to be all white, but here colors have been layered to add a feeling of depth to a room once flattened by the use of a single color. The use of blue on one of the walls of the living room, together with red on the doorway and walls gives a feeling of depth to the room; and the white cabinets and refrigerator give a clean horizontal line to the room which keeps the room from looking smaller than it is.

Layers of Color Also Add Depth

Adding layers of color can give a wall a sense of depth. You can also do this by breaking up the wall using blocks of different colors. This is an effective method to use with a large wall. Using just one color can flatten the room, while patterned wallpaper would be distracting. Gently layered tones allow the wall to be part of the background, where it belongs while emphasizing your furnishings.

Accent for Emphasis

If you want to use neutral colors on the walls and upholstery, you should decide on an accent color and use it in the room. Take a look at the use here of pink as a repeated accent color in this room. Used carefully, even loud colors will not overpower the look of the room. Remember to spread your accent colors around the room instead of putting them all into one place.

Vary Neutral Tones

When going for all white in a room (the bathroom would be one common room to decorate in this way), add just a little variation to complement the room.You can use a simple tone-on-tone stripe to add visual appeal to the room without making things busy and still allowing the quiet neutral color to dominate.

Leon has almost 40 years of experience in interior decorating and home furnishings. He owns and operates a furniture store specializing in solid wood furniture. They carry a huge assortment of American made bedroom, living room and dining room furniture.

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