8 Paint Colors That Make a Room Look Bigger

Do you have a small room that feels cramped and close? A new coat of paint may be all you need to make it look and feel more spacious. From warm whites to pale blues to bright reds and deep charcoal greys, try one of these paint colors that make a room look bigger. Keep in mind that it's not just the color that matters—there are certain painting techniques to try, such as making an accent wall, to visually expand a room's size.

1. White

Rule one for using paint color to make a room seem more spacious is to choose a hue that seems to recede into the background. No color does that better than the perfect shade of white, which can make it seem like the walls have nearly vanished from view. 

White also does a fantastic job of reflecting light, bouncing it off the walls and visually expanding the room.

Perfect paint picks:

• Benjamin Moore, Simply White

• Benjamin Moore, White Dove

• Farrow & Ball, White Tie

• Sherwin-Williams, Alabaster

2. Pale Blue

Got a room that's small and dark? A pale, icy blue can add lightness and create the feeling of spaciousness. Similar to white, pale blues recede, seeming to pull the room open. 

To make a room with low ceilings feel taller, try painting the ceiling a shade lighter than the rest of the room.

Perfect paint picks:

• Benjamin Moore, Smoke

• Benjamin Moore, Ocean Air

• Farrow & Ball, Sizing

• Sherwin-Williams, Iceberg

3. Soft Yellow

Cheery, reflective yellow is also another great pick for rooms that are small and have limited (or no) natural light. To really make the room open up, opt for a soft, pale yellow rather than a deep, saturated hue. 

Think buttery rather than sunflower for the walls. If you want to add a deeper yellow, like mustard, reserve it for accents only, such as built-in shelving or cabinets.

Perfect paint picks:

• Backdrop, Rococo

• Benjamin Moore, Cream Silk

• Farrow & Ball, Tallow

• Sherwin-Williams, Lemon Meringue

4. Bright Red

A bright color, like a vibrant tomato red, can make a tiny room look and feel bigger. The trick? Use the color sparingly, so that it grabs attention and makes the other walls seem to fall away.

Bold and bright red can be the ideal hue for an accent wall, especially when paired with paler colors on the room's remaining walls. To keep the room from getting overwhelmed (and feeling cramped again), make the accent wall the focal point and limit the amount of other decor throughout.

Perfect paint picks:

• Backdrop, Bada Bing!

• Benjamin Moore, Caliente

• Sherwin-Williams, Real Red

• Sherwin-Williams, Red Tomato

5. Smoky Grey

Got a tiny bathroom you want to make look bigger or a bedroom whose walls need a refresh? A dark, smoky grey—think charcoal or nearly black—can actually make a small space look bigger. 

Deep, dark, neutral colors recede, pulling the walls with them and expanding the room visually. To get the best visual effect, keep the furnishings and fixtures in the room on the light side. So think dark grey walls with a white sink and tub, or off-black walls with pale grey bedding. 

Perfect paint picks:

• Backdrop, No Curfew

• Benjamin Moore, Kendall Charcoal

• Farrow & Ball, Off-Black

• Sherwin-Williams, Sea Mariner

6. Pale Grey

Think of pale grey as white with a bit of pep and character. Like a white wall, a light grey wall will reflect light, helping to visually expand a room's size. It's also just a touch more interesting than basic white, especially if you pick a hue that has hints of blue, pink, or taupe.

Perfect paint picks:

• Backdrop, West Coast Ghost

• Benjamin Moore, Cloudy Gray

• Farrow & Ball, Blackened

• Sherwin-Williams, Mantra

7. Peppy Lavender

If you want to add some pep and color to a small space without overwhelming it or limiting yourself to an accent wall, opt for pale purple, also known as lavender or lilac. 

Light purple can be an unexpected choice, making a room stand out without calling too much attention to itself. The lightness of the hue reflects light and opens up a room. Use it on all the walls or focus on areas by the windows to really create a sense of space.

Perfect paint picks:

• Backdrop, Gin Blossoms

• Backdrop,  Not So Delicate

• Benjamin Moore, Lily Lavender

• Sherwin-Williams, Potentially Purple

8. Cool Blue

Cool colors, particularly cool blue, expand, making a room bigger, even if the color itself is on the darker side. Blue also has a calming effect, which can help to open up a compact-seeming space. 

Paint all the walls of the room blue, or, as with bright red, stick with a single accent wall. Another option is to paint only the ceiling a rich, cool blue, to pull the eye upward and make the room feel taller.

Perfect Paint Picks:

• Backdrop, Blue Is the Coolest Color

• Benjamin Moore, Blue Danube

• Farrow & Ball, Lulworth Blue

• Sherwin-Williams, Something Blue

Painting Tricks to Visually Expand a Room

It's not just color that can make a room feel larger or smaller. How you paint the room and the paint type can also trick the eye.

In a smaller room that doesn't get much natural light, choose paint with a semi-gloss or glossy sheen to make the light bounce off the walls, enlarging the space. 

If you don't want a brightly colored accent wall, choose something else to focus on, such as the room's molding or trim, and paint it boldly. 

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

You can save hundreds by doing a paint job yourself, as professional painters charge $20 to $50 per hour. Painting a room is a beginner-friendly project, but if you're feeling nervous about choosing the right color, working with a local professional interior painter can be the way to go. A pro painter can help you choose the right color, shade, and finish to get the visual effect you're after, making a tiny, cramped space feel more open and airy.