Room Colors and Schemes
For a Small Place

If you live in a small house/apartment, pay attention to the following tips for choosing room colors and schemes for a small place.

Many owners of small homes or apartments make the mistake of using drastically different colors to paint each room.

Colors that are high in contrast look best in larger homes, where there is enough transitional space to re-set the eye.

When each room is painted a different color in small living quarters, it brings to mind a children's story called "Adventures with a Paint Pot."

It's better not to use more than 2 or 3 colors in a small space. You can select a few colors and use them interexchangeably in varying intensities. By painting your home in a palette of related colors, you create a feeling of flow. You move from one room to another without being visually aware of it. Using room colors in this manner also creates a sense of spaciousness.

If you use the same 2-3 colors throughout, your home will have a real feeling of continuity. By varying the intensities of the colors, you achieve variety without jumpiness. Click here for interior paint color combinations for a small place.

If you have an urge to be dramatic, wait until you have a house that is large enough to take drama. Remember that you and your family will have to live with your decorative effort for 365 days in the year. Brilliant colors and bold patterns should be used sparingly, because they can really overwhelm the place.

You will also be far better off if you choose room colors that are pleasant rather than spectacular.

Pleasant doesn't mean drab. Bold trendy colors tend to become old very fast. And in a small space where there is little room to "escape" your color choices, you will grow tired of them even faster.

Also, it is recommended to stick with lighter colors - and that doesn't mean you are limited to white and off-white shades. Medium-toned colors are perfectly fine - just avoid very deep hues.

There is nothing wrong with a color scheme which uses dark colors on the walls and for the decorations, except that in a small place such rooms tends to be gloomy even on sunny days. They require light colored window treatments, upholstery fabrics, light flooring and accessories to bring them to life... or lots of windows and skylights!

Lighter colors create a sense of spaciousness and airiness. Besides, at night, light colored rooms need less artificial lighting - something to keep in mind if you are budget or environmentally conscious.

The ideal house has been described as one which has alternating areas of light and dark colors. This type of decoration can suit itself to any mood. You may not always want to sit in a bright room. You may enjoy having a contrasting room with burgundy, dark brown or navy walls.
This luxury can be enjoyed in a spacious house, but a small-sized home is much better off decorated in lighter colors.

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