Colors have an effect on our depth perception: Certain colors look further away while others move forward in our field of vision. Since our brains are wired this way, why not use this effect to your advantage when decorating a room? Professional designers do exactly that, actually making a wall “move” forward or back, depending on the paint color used on the wall and the effect desired.

Go Light, or Go Dark?
The basic rule with color is that light colors make walls recede, thereby making a room look larger. Darker colors are just the opposite: They seem closer, making a room look smaller and more intimate. Either effect can be used to visually manipulate the size and shape of a room, whether used separately on in conjunction with each other.

Cozy and Warm
Most people have a need to make a room feel larger. In this case, using pale, light colors will make a room feel larger. However, there are also times when there is a need to make a room feel cozy and intimate. Perhaps you’d like your bedroom to feel snug and inviting, and deep warm colors, like burgundy or rich gold, will do the trick. Similarly, if a room has a high ceiling that feels too tall, painting it in a darker hue than the walls will bring it down to size.

Warm colors, like yellow, orange or red, make walls seem close and are great choices when you want a make a room feel cozy. Cool hues, like blue and green, seem further away. This effect, coupled with the light/dark concept discussed above can be used to your advantage. For example, if you have a narrow room that is long but not deep, using a cool light color, such as pale blue, on the short end walls will make them seem further away. Choosing a deep dramatic color, like rust or sienna for one of the long walls, will make it seem closer and this will visually square up the room. Choose the deep color for a focal wall and use it to showcase a beautiful piece of furniture or wall art. Use the same pale blue from the end walls on the final wall of the room.

You can use a similar trick to make architectural features in a room more prominent: Paint them in a deep accent color and they will appear to move forward in your field of vision, making them more noticeable.

Tricks with Trim & Molding
The color chosen for molding and trim also affects your perception of a room’s size. If trim is painted darker than the wall color, the walls will seem closer. Paint the trim lighter than the walls, and the walls move back. Use a shade of white for trim and molding along with a cool light color for the walls, and the room will seem more spacious.

You can also work visual magic with furniture: Make a room feel larger by painting the wall color in a color that is close to the shade of furniture and the room will seem larger.

Author Bio: Alyssa Davis, writes exclusively for Metal-Wall-Art.com, and specifically about designing with green metal wall decor and purple metal wall decor.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: home, decor, design, wall art, improvement, remodel, budget, repair, organize, feng shui, clean