We all have tricky rooms that need a little “help” with color to manipulate its negatives into positives. Large, empty rooms that feel vacant and cold. Rooms with little natural light. Walls with cracks or damage to the sheetrock. Awkward shaped rooms or rooms with low ceilings. You know what I mean and probably have one so read on to find some solutions to help manipulate your room with paint color into a less troubled space…

Is your room is too large or vacant feeling? Try using dark or warm colors like warm chocolate browns or deep red-oranges to make a room feel cozy and intimate. These deep colors help a large, mildly furnished room feel more occupied.

Have a space that feels too small or confined? Visually expand a room by using lighter, airy colors like pale blues or soft mauves. Keep the depth of the floors and ceilings the same as the walls for the most impact.

If you have either too low or too high ceilings try this: For low ceilings, keep the colors in lighter, pale tones (like Mayonaise or Bone White)which visually recede, making the ceiling appear higher. The opposite for very high, cavernous ceilngs- use warmer, deeper colors which appear to advance and seem to “lower” some.

If you own anything other than a brand new house, one would assume you have some imperfect sheetrock. To hide cracked or damaged walls try two things. First use a matte or flat finish paint. These finishes reflect no light so you see less of the imperfection. Second, if you use darker or warmer colors, they tend to absorb light which will help hide the blemish as well.

These are just some of the common issues we come across.  There are others like rooms which lack a focal point (so try an accent wall with a bold peice of art) or rooms that have TOO much goin on (a fireplace, lots of crown, chair rail, baseboard and panel molding, etc..)that require a visually calmer feature by painting them the same, light-intensive neutral.