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| Ways
to Use Color in Small Spaces |
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Be Bold
One of the greatest worries inhibiting people decorating small
spaces is the use of colors. The urban legend of color making
a small room look smaller is based on just a tiny bit of fact
that's been blown way out of proportion. Color is one of the
best ways to anchor a room, and to define it.
1. Add depth using solid colors.
This tiny New York City apartment kitchen shows how to layer
colors to add depth. Originally white all the way around, this
kitchen was a bland, amorphous space; the lack of color changes
visually flattened the space.
The blue living room wall, followed by the red door opening and
walls, accentuates the depth of the space. The white cabinets
ringing the space and the white refrigerator in the corner add
a great horizontal line that keeps the walls visually separated
so the room doesn't look any smaller than it is. |
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2. Or layer colors for depth.
The painting technique of layering on glazes of color gives a
wall depth. Separating the wall into blocks of color is another
trick to adding visual depth. It's an especially useful technique
when you've got a large wall to cover; a single color -- any
color -- could make the wall look flat and massive, or patterned
wallpaper would just overpower the room. The gentle tones of
color layered here complement the furnishings and visually recede
so you see the whole room, not just the wall. |
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3. Accent for emphasis.
If you'd prefer to keep the wall and upholstery colors neutral,
choose an accent color and layer it in the room. This homeowner's
passion for pink shows up in cushions on the chair, the large
painted panels of artwork, and the ottoman cover. Used judiciously
like this, even the brightest colors won't overwhelm quiet neutrals.
One last piece of advice: In most situations, use the chosen
color in accents around the room, like this, rather than concentrating
it one place. |
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