14 Paint Colors That Make Rooms Look Larger

Just like furnishings, materials and artwork, paint gives our home a very specific feel and ambiance. A crucial part of our decor, paint color conveys personality, warmth, and can lend a feel of spaciousness or make a room feel dark and closed in.

Pros in the know including designers and top paint companies like Benjamin Moore have insights into colors that have both staying power and the ability to make rooms look larger.

1. Light colors & neutral tones are perfect options for small spaces but if you choose a bold color, offset it with softer tones for furnishings an accessories.

Best All-Around Colors

2. Paint the walls and trim the same tone in small rooms that don't have much natural light. This minimizes 'breaks' by offering one consistent color palette. It can also make ceilings look higher.

Colors for Both Walls & Trim

3. Bold accent colors can be used to make spaces feel cozy and intimate. The hues you use depends upon the 'feel' you're trying to achieve, be it warm, relaxed, energetic.

Bold Accent Colors

4. The key factor in choosing the perfect palette for your home is how much natural light each rooms receives. The lighter the color, the larger and brighter the room will appear. In general, the less natural light, the lighter the hue. If your goal is to boost the feel of spaciousness, opt for bright colors with a light reflectance value higher than 50. These reflect more light than they absorb, making that tight space feel more open and airy.

Colors to Create Illusion of Spaciousness

These classic colors are sure to enhance the rooms of your Marin or San Francisco home! 

Article excerpt from Huffington Post.

Hot Home Design Trends

For those of you looking to update you home's personality, here are 10 design trends that are still hot among designers and homeowners alike.

Worried that by the time you update your condo, townhome or house, these trends may go by the wayside? Like many before them, the popularity of these designs shall (probably) pass at some point, but for the most part, they each have enough sticking power to hang in there for years to come.  

1. Graphic tiles

With a foothold in history with their midcentury vibe, graphic tiles embrace color and pattern, making a statement that likens itself to art. If you choose a pattern that you appreciate, it will be something that will endure the test of of time.

2. Statement light fixtures

Lighting is a necessity for every home but can also serve as artwork. The wide variety styles and sizes of lighting can transform any room, giving it a distinct personality and presence as well as be functional and beautiful.

3. Sectional sofas

Homeowners wants spaces that offer comfort and usability and the sectional sofa offers both. Available to fit any design sense, sectionals work well in open floor plans, designating informal spaces for engaging with family and friends.

4. Minimalist design

A trend that benefits healthy living, minimal design creates a clutter-free living environment that is easier to navigate and clean as well as provides a sense of relaxation rather than feeling overwhelmed.

View fullsize

5. Stairs as a focal point

Stairs are being transformed into an architectural element instead of simply being seen as a utilitarian object. When incorporated as a design focal point of a home, stairs add visual interest as well as serving a transportation function.

6. Black window frames

Windows provide our homes with natural light and often amazing views. What better way to accent them than with a black frame? This bold move transforms windows into pieces of art, drawing attention to one of the key elements your home has to offer.

7. Mismatched materials

This daring use of materials, hues and textures, when used correctly, adds visual interest to any room. It adds character, color and keeps boring at bay.

8. Open floor plans

The top request of homeowners is a desire for an open, airy home environment. Gone are the separate, closed off rooms and instead are spaces that flow into each other and provide multiple use and invite connection.

9. Foregoing a formal dining room

Most homeowners no longer want or need a formal living room and many are also ditching the formal dining space. Instead, they want open spaces that flow and invite daily rather than occasional social interaction. An integrated dining space sparks family meals gathered around the table and also allows for larger parties to move about the home more easily.

10. Reclaimed materials

In addition to the sustainable, environmentally friendly aspect of reusing materials, incorporating reclaimed wood, metal and other materials adds personality and interest both inside and out.

Article excerpts from Houzz.