Monday, September 7, 2009

Choosing a Paint Color for a Small Bedroom


Choosing a paint color for any room can be a challenge for many homeowners. There are many things to take into consideration, from the room's existing decor, to the condition of the walls, the amount of lighting and the purpose of the room. These things hold true for a small bedroom as well, but there is another consideration to be made in this case.

COLOR'S EFFECT ON SIZE

A small room presents its own unique decorating challenges. In most cases, homeowners want to make the room look as big as possible. The best way to make a small bedroom look larger is to use a light colored paint. The lighter the paint, the bigger the room looks. The darker the paint, the smaller the room appears. This becomes a bit tricky because even certain light colors will have more of an impact on size than others.

THE ROOM'S PURPOSE

When selecting a color for a small bedroom, you will want to take into consideration the purpose of the room. If the room is a nursery then you will probably want to choose a light pastel, such as a soft yellow, a pale pink or blue, or an off white. A soft yellow or warm off white will provide a warm, cozy feeling to the room. A soft blue, less so. The amount of natural lightening will factor in here as well. I will get to that in a moment.

For an older child's room you will want to move into a less babyish color, but still keep it light. The more furniture you have in the room, the smaller it will look. A small bedroom to be used for an older child can be painted an off white, a light lavender, or a light green and still make the room larger than if it were a dark shade.

A small room used as an office looks fantastic in a soft taupe or pale gray. Again keep the colors light. Try working from a color deck of just whites. You will be amazed at how many options you will have. When they are put on the wall, they actually have more color than you would think at first.

THE ROOM'S LIGHTING

Natural lighting in a small room plays a big part in paint color choice, particularly if you are trying to make the room appear bigger. A room on the south side of the house that receives plenty of sun will be naturally warm and inviting. A small room in the basement or on the north side of the house that gets little natural lighting will need all the help it can get from a warm tone paint. The naturally darker room should almost always be painted with a soft yellow or off white if you want it to look inviting.

CHOOSING A PAINT FINISH

If the small bedroom walls are in good condition, an eggshell finish will give life to the room's walls. They will look richer, warmer and more inviting. They are also easier to clean. If, however, the wall has bumps and imperfections, a flat paint will make them less visible. This is true no matter what room you are painting.

A quality paint such as carried by Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams will provide the most durable, attractive finish available. Other paints such as Behr Paint, sold by Home Depot offer a more affordable option. Most paint stores and home improvement centers provide color chips, brochures with suggestions and ideas, and sample size containers so that you can try before you buy. If they do not offer samples, buy a quart only and try it out to see if you like it before you buy enough for a whole room.

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