Painting tips for your home

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5 Painting tips & Tricks 

Paint can do more than brighten your room -- and your mood: It can also make your living space seem bigger or smaller, depending on how you use your colors.

1. How to make the ceiling appear higher

Dark colors can make the ceiling seem lower, while lighter shades reflect more and will make the room feel more spacious. Often, decorators choose to paint the ceiling with a slightly lighter tint than the color on the walls to subtly trick the eye.

2. How to make the room seem wider

If you have a long, narrow room, consider painting the wall at the far end a darker shade than the longer walls. Darker colors generally appear to recede, creating an illusion of width, while lighter colors will seem to be closer.

3. How to make the room appear larger

To make a small room look larger, choose a light-color paint and select furnishings in the same color family. (Or, paint some of the furniture to match the walls!)

4. How to use lighting to enhance your space

Realize that light can dramatically affect how a color appears. The same painted wall can look different morning, noon and night -- depending on the lighting (fluorescent or incandescent lightbulbs, for example) and windows/skylights in a room.

Using light colors is a time-honored way to make a cramped space look larger. Repainting in a lighter shade -- together with some judicious rearranging of furniture and other elements -- can create the illusion of roominess when actual space is limited.

Repainting that cramped and dingy bathroom, kitchen or bedroom in a bright shade of yellow or a crisp white is a great way to make the room seem larger and more spacious. There are other benefits, too: A light and airy space can also do wonders to elevate your mood.

5. How to make a space feel cozier

Color can also be used to make a large space seem cozier and not so big. Repainting that space in a darker, warmer color is a great way to transform that bedroom for its new purpose.

For example, creating a beautiful den -- complete with dark wood paneling and elegant furniture -- is one great way to put that spare room to a brand new use. Selecting rich, deep colors helps to create a warm and inviting space, perfect for relaxing and getting away from the stress of the day.

Be bold with your paint colors

When choosing your palette, don't feel limited to whites and beiges throughout. Have some fun, and remember that color is a powerful and inexpensive decorating tool -- and one that can make a real statement. Figuring out just what you want that statement to be is up to you!

More painting tips:

How to paint stripes
Paint color tips
Painting techniques
Guide to paint finishes