If you feel like the atmosphere in a room isn’t giving the vibe you want, the problem may be the paint color. Before starting renovations or buying a bunch of decor, consider repainting the walls or ceiling. That may be all you need to provide the feeling you’re looking for.
White paint can help to create the illusion that you’re in a larger space. This is true of both walls and ceilings, giving the feeling that there is more space above your head as well as around you. By contrast, darker colors have the opposite effect. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Using dark but warm colors with a slight red tinge can help to bring a cozier, more compact feel to a large, cavernous space. Cool colors have a calming effect. This is especially true if they’re softer or muted. Try something like an ocean blue or a leafy green.
Sometimes you want something to stand out or fade into the background. In either case, what’s important is not a specific color, but how much the colors contrast. Features with colors that are high contrast with the wall color will stand out quite a bit. If the colors are less contrastive, objects can appear like they’re simply part of the background. Depending on your situation and what the feature is that you’re focusing on, it might be possible to repaint that feature, instead of entire walls or ceilings.
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