What Color Should I Paint My Basement Block?

Rich Red and Brown

• Although adding a dark or vibrant color to an underground room may seem like a bad idea, this color scheme relies on good lighting. Since natural lighting won't be available in most basements, you'll need to install plenty of light fixtures to brighten the room anyway. With all that extra light a rich brown or bold red adds coziness and warmth to your basement block walls, according to design expert Maria Killiam. These colors also help hide the block pattern of the walls.

White

• White is the classic color to use in a space with size issues or a lack of light. It will look dingy if the basement doesn't have enough lighting, but it will reflect lighting around the room better than darker colors, says the Basement Remodeler website. Pair three walls of white with an accent color to keep the room from feeling impersonal. You may be able to use a white primer made for concrete blocks that allows you to skip another coat of paint.

Pastels

• Pastel shades combine the light reflecting properties of white with a subtle hint of color. Warm tones such as peach or light yellow make the basement seem more inviting, according to the Home and Garden Ideas website. Light colors may require more coats on a concrete block wall, but as long as the basement wall isn't damp they'll look just as good as a normal interior wall with the right coverage. Gray is a good option for utility rooms because it covers the gray of concrete block very well.

Soothing Blue

• Basements usually need warm colors to keep the space from feeling cold or unwelcoming, but the proper light blue works just as well. The key to using blue in the basement is pairing it with warmer colors in the rest of the decorating scheme, says interior design expert Maria Killam. When balanced out by warm tones, a light blue color makes the room seem large and airy instead of windowless and underground.