Using Color in Small Spaces

Use vibrant colors to combat dullness in even the tiniest of rooms.

The biggest concern people have with using color in small areas is the fear of making a small space look even smaller. This is a myth based on one small fact that has been over blown to say the least. Color can define and anchor a room and used carefully can even be useful in small spaces.

Do away with the divisions between rooms by using a single color that ties them together. This technique is obvious when it comes to rooms that adjoin one another like a kitchen and dining room however it can also be quite effective for rooms that fall into the same line of vision.

Living areas that open to the dining area, kitchens to living rooms and bedrooms with their own baths are obvious places to share color schemes but did you know you could continue one color scheme throughout the whole house? If you are completely in love with a particular scheme, use it in all the public areas of your home. Start in the kitchen and let it flow through the dining area, hallways and bathrooms.

To add depth to a space add some color. Take a small apartment kitchen for example, painted in all white it has a bland flat appearance. Make it pop in three dimensions by adding some bold color.

A blue living room wall complimented by a red door and walls beyond it highlights the depth of the space. White cabinets in the kitchen encircling the space to the white refrigerator makes a great horizontal line that keeps the walls separate and does not make the room appear smaller.

Painting techniques are also useful in giving a wall added depth. Things like layering glaze colors or using blocks of color are all neat tricks to adding depth.

This is an especially good idea for large areas that you need to paint. When you cover a large wall in one single color you make it appear huge and flat, and patterned wall paper could make you dizzy. Instead use gentle colors layered to compliment the other furnishings and visually receding. This way the whole room comes into focus and not just the behemoth wall.

If you do not want to display your passion on the walls or furniture and instead want neutral colors that is fine as well. Use colorful cushions and artwork to liven up any room. You might experiment with loveseat or chair covers.

Used carefully the brightest colors are not overwhelming to a neutral room. Be careful to place the chosen colors and accent pieces throughout the room and not piled in one area.

If you are committed to an all one color room say a white bathroom that is fine just spice it up a bit with color variations in your accessories.

Finally, a way to add visual stimulation to neutral tones is to layer the them in a tone on tone stripe. This is an effective way of giving a room depth without adding wild colors that you may not be comfortable with.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Leon Tuberman has decades of experience in interior decorating and home furnishings. He is also the owner of Barn Furniture a store specializing in handmade furniture in various styles such as Mission, Shaker, Traditional and Contemporary. The Barn also carries a huge selection of maple, oak, cherry and mahogany dining room furniture that's made in the Heartland of America.