Ways to Paint a Room to Make it Look Bigger

Almost everyone wants a larger home than they have. But if you can't afford a larger space, then make the space you do have seem larger through a few simple painting techniques. Painting is a cost-effective way to make your home seem larger, whether your goal is to live in the home and enjoy its faux airiness yourself, or whether you plan to sell it and wish to make the best impression possible on would-be purchasers. Does this Spark an idea?

Choose Light Colors

Paint the walls and the ceiling of your room a light, bright, reflective color, such as a light blue, a light green or even white. Such colors reflect light and give the appearance of a larger space.

Paint Trim a Lighter Color

Paint base trim and any moldings one to two shades lighter than the walls and the ceiling. This tricks the eye into assuming that the walls are further away than the woodwork, making the room seem bigger.

Coat Your Wall with Polyurethane

Finish your walls with a coat of satin polyurethane. This will give your walls a bright sheen that will make them appear brighter and further away.

Add Stripes

Choose a wall that is the focal point of a room. This is the wall that the eye is first drawn to when entering the room. This wall may have a fireplace or a bookshelf or some other object that draws the eye to it. Paint 3- to 5-inch vertical stripes on the wall in complementary colors so that the stripes are barely noticeable. Like wearing striped clothing to make you look thinner, subtle stripes on a wall can make a room seem larger.