Painting Techniques to Make a Room Appear Larger

Pick cool shades of paint to give the impression of depth. Light greens, blues and violets trick the eyes into thinking the richly pigmented colors are receding, making the room look bigger. Choose a very light eggshell or white chocolate for the ceiling, to open up the room and reflect light into the small space.

Remove all furniture and decorations from the room. Set pictures and wall hangings aside and remove nails and screws from the wall for even painting. If there are any large holes, fill them in with a little joint compound before painting.

Cover the floor with drop cloths, taping them along the bottom of the wall. Mask off windows and trim with tape, applying the tape in a straight line to prevent uneven paint.

Fill a sprayer with the lightest paint and paint the ceiling first. Move the sprayer slowly from left to right, coating the entire ceiling evenly. Use a brush or roller to paint along the edge of the ceiling and leave the paint to dry for a minimum of six hours. Painting the ceiling first makes it easier to conceal mistakes or drops as you paint the walls.

Apply the base color to the wall, starting near the ceiling and working your way down to the floor. Use a sprayer or roller for even application and apply the paint sparingly to prevent drips. Let the walls dry for 48 hours before applying a second coat of paint.

Remove the masking tape and drop cloths and then move the furniture back into the room. Furnish the room sparingly, bringing in enough pieces to make the room comfortable, but not so much as to cause clutter. The more items you jam into a single space, the smaller a room feels.