How to Make a Small Room Feel Bigger With Paint

A fresh coat of paint can completely change the way a room feels. In a smaller bedroom, home office, bathroom, or living space, the right color can help reflect more light, soften the boundaries of the room, and create a more open feeling.

Designer Bobby Berk recently shared some of his favorite paint colors for making a room feel bigger, along with a few guidelines that can help homeowners choose the right shade for their own space.

Pay Attention to Light Reflectance

One helpful number to look for when comparing paint colors is LRV, or Light Reflectance Value. It measures how much light a paint color reflects on a scale from 0 to 100.

For smaller or darker rooms, Berk generally recommends looking at colors with an LRV around 70 or higher. Rooms with plenty of natural light may be able to comfortably handle colors in the 60s as well.

This is especially helpful when choosing between several whites, creams, or light neutrals that may look nearly identical on a paint swatch.

Warm Whites Can Open Up a Space

White is an obvious choice for a smaller room, but undertone matters.

Berk recommends warm, inviting whites rather than stark whites with cool or blue undertones. His suggestions include Benjamin Moore Simply White, Benjamin Moore White Dove, and Farrow & Ball All White.

Each provides a bright backdrop while maintaining enough warmth to keep the room from feeling flat or overly clinical.

Keeping the walls and trim similar in tone can also create a more continuous look. Without a strong visual break between surfaces, the eye can move more easily around the room.

You Don’t Have to Stick With White

A small room can still have color.

Soft, muted shades can bring personality into a space without making it feel heavy. Berk points to Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue, Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray, and Sherwin-Williams Soft Sage as examples.

These kinds of hazy blues, warm grays, and gentle greens work particularly well when paired with natural light, simple furnishings, and finishes that keep the space visually calm.

The direction of the room matters too. A paint color can look very different in a north-facing room than it does in a room filled with afternoon sun, so it is always worth testing a sample on several walls before committing.

Think Beyond the Walls

The ceiling and trim can have just as much impact as the wall color.

Using the same color on the walls and ceiling, or choosing a slightly lighter version for the ceiling, can help create a sense of continuity and height. Berk also recommends avoiding dramatic contrast between the walls and trim when the goal is to make a small room feel more expansive.

Even small changes like these can influence how you experience the proportions of a room.

Small Updates Can Make a Big Difference

Paint is one of the simplest ways to refresh a home, whether you're settling into a new space, updating a room you've lived with for years, or preparing your home to sell.

Color can't change the square footage, but it can change the way that square footage feels. A thoughtful combination of light, warmth, and continuity can help even a modest room feel brighter, calmer, and more inviting.

At BOLD Real Estate, we spend a lot of time in homes throughout Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, and the greater Triangle. We see firsthand how thoughtful updates, from a fresh paint color to larger renovations, can influence the way buyers experience a home.

If you're considering selling and wondering which updates are worth making before your home hits the market, our team can help you look at the space from a buyer's perspective and decide where your time and budget will have the greatest impact.