While many of our clients have decorators who help choose room colors, Atlanta’s Paint Doctor is often consulted for its expertise on choosing colors, even for small rooms. We’ve found through research and experience that there are several schools of thoughts. A lot of what it boils down to is what colors you like and what will go with your furnishings and accessories. That said, here are some key points to consider.

  • Some designers will use one bright, saturated hue – like a deep blue so that the different planes all blend into each other, camaflouging the fact that the room is small while creating a perception of depth because the corners will be cast in shadow. The color unifies the space and blows out the boundaries. Some designers like to paint the moldings the same color as the walls, but in a different finish, like eggshell.
  • Others like White: White reflects the light and makes the walls go away, so a small space seems larger. Some whites are blue, some are pink, some are green so make sure you test samples before you put The Paint Doctor to work.
  • High Gloss or Lacquer: Some darker colors are more effective if used it in high gloss or lacquer to reflect the light.  The Paint Doctor can do this for you as well as other skilled painting techniques.
  • Moldings: To Paint or Not To Paint. Some designers like crisp white moldings and white furnishings with accents of powder pink, pale blue, lavender, or mint green for a small room. Other designers shudder in horror at the thought of painting moldings in a small room because it chops up the room.
  • A soothing sand color expands a space and creates a feeling of warmth and continuity, especially if you use it on the ceiling and the walls, according to some designers. Neutral walls recede and focus they eye more on the furnishings than on the size of the room.
  • Another trick for small rooms: Choose a color for the walls that you see outside. It will give you a sense that the room continues beyond the windows. In the country, it might be this crisp green, the green of stems in the garden and leaves on the trees.
  • Be sure to check out The Paint Doctor’s Galleries for examples of rooms we’ve painted of all different sizes.

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Archie Deese