Dos and Donts for Small Spaces

[Gryphon]

Here's a great article on the topic:
http://homegarden.move.com/HomeGarden/Decorate/DecoratingIdeas/BHG_SmallHouse1.asp?gate=ibs_gs&source=a12527&poe=homestore

One thing I disagree with is their take on using light colors. I think thats a myth. In my old townhome, the guest bedroom was quite small, and I painted it dark brown..fearing the whole time that I would make the space feel like a cave and have to spend the next weekend repaintnig. To my surprise, it felt much bigger. The dark walls sort of visually disappeared.

In a friends powder room there were ten foot ceilings. In such a small space, that kind of height made you feel like you were in an elevator shaft. Her solution? Put picture molding at 8' high, then paint the wall above the molding and the ceiling black. Its now the coolest looking room in her house, and the black paint corrected the rooms proportions by making the top half of the room disappear.

[Sunny]

I'm so glad you brought this up, Gryphon! I'm trying to convince my husband to paint the family room of our new house a darkish gray, but he's afraid it may be too dark. I'll share this with him!!

[Isabelle]

I love dark colors . I had my little girls room painted dark purple and I  have a dark red room. I also have some lighter shades, but I am leaning more and more toward darker, deeper shades of color.

[Gryphon]

I think some of the coolest looking rooms have dark walls...
In my old guest room...the walls were dark dark chocolate...but then the carpet was almost white, all the bedding was white, and I had white silk drapes...and black and white photos on the walls. It was one of the favorite rooms Ive ever had.

[moondance27]

I think dark walls make a room cozier and more inviting.  I think idark colors can work well in a small room.  I love Brown, white with dash of aqua.

[Gryphon]

I think dark walls make a room cozier and more inviting.  I think idark colors can work well in a small room.  I love Brown, white with dash of aqua.

you'd love my bedroom!!

wait...did that sound right? 

[Fatcats Mom]

I got bold in my living room, it is now 2 walls Chocholate candy and 2 walls old bisque! You can see those two colors in the porter paints web site. Cream color carpet. oak trim and furniture, curtians are a pazel (sp) with cream, brown, tan, green and a touch of bisque.

It is so cozy, I am glad I was brave enough to use colors this time.

[Sunny]

Sounds beautiful, FCM...should take a picture & share with us. 

[Gryphon]

Yes, please do!
(and if I can remember my photobucket password, Ill do the same)

[Isabelle]

I would love to see the room.. it sounds beautiful.

[Fatcats Mom]

I'll post pictures as soon as I can figure it out.

[Sunny]

Oh it's easy, FCM!!! www.photobucket.com

that is, if you have a digital camera to upload photos from your hard drive...or you have a scanner! Let me know & I'll walk ya through the steps!

[Fatcats Mom]

Alrighty, I will take the pictures a little later and we will go from there......Thank You.

[Sunny]

Thank you! The main reason I'd like to see is that I'm looking for a new color scheme for my master bedroom (although it's currently most of those colors).

[Fatcats Mom]

Go to Porter paints web site, it has a feature where you can play with colors as if you are doing the room yourself, walls, trim even counters.

I did my bedroom in a color called pine glow, it's a green, I'll take a picture of that also.