How to change and accentuate room size with paint

1. How to make a room appear larger

If your space feels cramped, you can change a room size with paint, by using lighter colours, which can help create the illusion of openness and airiness.

• Stick to light colours: Shades like white, light grey, or soft blue reflect light and make a room feel more expansive.
• Paint walls, trim, and ceiling the same colour: This creates a seamless effect, eliminating visual barriers and making the room appear larger.
• Use similarly toned furniture and decor: Keeping accessories and furniture in the same colour family enhances the spacious look.

The perfect tools to complete a painting project like this are our Wall and Ceiling products, a top quality range of paint brushes, rollers and paint pads, helping you get the perfect finish on your walls and ceilings.

2. How to make a room look smaller

Sometimes, a large room can feel too open and impersonal. The right choices can change a room size with paint, and make it feel warmer and more inviting.

• Choose darker colours: Deep shades like navy, charcoal, or rich greens absorb light and create a snug atmosphere.
• Paint the entire room, including the ceiling: This technique creates a “cave-like” effect, making the space feel intimate.
• Opt for matte finishes: These help reduce light reflection and enhance the cosy feel.
• Use contrasting trim: Darker walls with lighter trim can create a defined, enclosed space.

3. How to make a room look longer

If you have a short or awkwardly shaped space, paint can help change a room size, and stretch it out visually to make it appear longer than it actually is.

• Paint the distant wall a darker or warmer shade: This technique makes the wall appear further away, lengthening the space.
• Use light colours on the longer walls: This balances the effect and prevents the room from feeling too narrow.
• Consider horizontal stripes: These can guide the eye along the length of the room, making it feel elongated.
• Paint both the ceiling and the far wall the same darker shade: This can create a more extended perspective.

The perfect tools to complete a painting project like this are our Wall and Ceiling products, a top quality range of paint brushes, rollers and paint pads, helping you get the perfect finish on your walls and ceilings.

4. How to make a long room look shorter​

For a long, narrow space, painting can help bring the walls closer together and create a more balanced look.

• Use a darker colour on the far wall: This makes the wall appear closer, effectively shortening the room.
• Keep the adjacent walls lighter: This contrast helps create a visual break in the length.

5. How to make a ceiling look higher

Sometimes, the height of a ceiling can throw off the proportions of a room. Whether you need to raise or lower it visually, paint can help.

• To raise a low ceiling: Paint the ceiling a light colour and keep the walls slightly darker. This draws the eye upwards, making the ceiling feel higher.
• To lower a high ceiling: Use a darker shade on the ceiling than on the walls. You can also extend the ceiling colour down about a foot onto the walls to visually bring it closer.

The perfect tools to complete a painting project like this are our Wall and Ceiling products, a top quality range of paint brushes, rollers and paint pads, helping you get the perfect finish on your walls and ceilings.

6. How to make a narrow room appear wider

If a narrow or small room doesn’t feel wide, strategic painting can adjust the visual proportions.

• To widen a room: Paint the lower half of the walls a darker colour up to chair rail height, while keeping the upper portion and ceiling lighter.

7. How to make a wide room appear narrower

If a room feels too wide, strategic painting can adjust the visual proportions, learn how to widen a room with paint.

• To make a wide room appear narrower: Paint the two opposite walls darker while keeping the far wall and ceiling light. This closes the space without making it feel too cramped.