RONA offers big ideas for painting small spaces
As the weather turns cooler and we retreat back inside, what better time to recreate the feeling of the outdoors’ expansiveness right in our own homes?
Making living spaces appear larger can be as simple as investing in a can of paint and some tools, say the experts at RONA, one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers with some 425 corporate and affiliated stores under different banners.
“Painting is the easiest and most economical way to create the illusion of space,” said Lydia Thammavong, Head Design, Styles & Trends at RONA. “Whether you’re aiming to visually expand one small area – like an entranceway, powder room, or hallway – or an entire home, the same tricks apply to make ceilings look higher and walls recede.”
RONA offers these big ideas for painting small spaces:
Horizontal and vertical stripes
Painting a horizontal stripe around a small room makes it look deeper and wider. Whether the stripe is applied on all four walls or on only one wall as a focal point, the effect causes the eye to see the space as roomier than it is.
If the room is narrow or short, try painting thin vertical stripes, which draw the eye upward and create the illusion of height. To produce a calm, subtle look that visually opens the area, alternate stripes of similar shades, such as Sico Paint’s Pillow Cloud (6215-11) light beige and June Mist (6215-31) darker beige in different finishes (like matte and soft gloss). If you prefer a bold look, choose contrasting colours instead.
Use high quality painter’s tape and a level or laser beam to create the stripes, and a high-quality paint and primer in one to reduce the application steps and ensure a long-lasting job.
Cantech 48-mm x 55-m Green Masking Tape. $7.49 at RONA stores or online.
CRAFTSMAN I-Beam Level 48-in 360° Vials Aluminum Red and Black. $22.99 at RONA stores or online.
Bosch Self-Leveling Cross-Line Laser Red Beam with Support 50-ft. $99 at RONA stores or online.
SICO Prestige Neutral Base Flat Finish Stain-Blocking Interior Acrylic Paint and Primer – 3.78-L. $76.99 at RONA stores or online.
Sico Prestige Interior Paint and Primer – Eggshell Finish – 3.78-L. $79.99 at RONA stores and online.
Colour tricks
“Don’t be afraid to be creative with paint and create a wow factor in your decor,” Thammavong said. “Playing with paint colours, creating the illusion of a landscape, or simply painting a section of a wall and pairing it with decor panels will modulate your space and create a cozy and luxurious ambiance.”
Cool colours, like soft blues, purples and greens will make even the smallest area feel open and airy. Light colours, soft pastels, whites and neutrals reflect more light and make a room feel larger.
Dark colours are often thought to make a room seem smaller, but with the right selection, can be used to create a luxurious or intimate mood in your small space.
For added wow-factor that visually expands a room, consider a monochromatic palette by painting walls, trim and the ceiling in varying shades of the same colour. For example, try Sico Paint’s Nordic Geyser (6021-21) light blue on the walls, Frosty Desert (6021-31) slightly deeper light blue on the trim, and White Horizon (6021-11) light sky blue on the ceilings.
Adding an accent wall creates a focal point which infuses depth into a room without overwhelming it. Choose a bold or cool contrasting colour – such as deep green – for one wall while keeping the others light and neutral.
Maximize light, minimize distractions
Lighting is key to opening up a space. Assess the amount of natural and artificial light coming into the room. Good lighting is known to make paint colour appear lighter, so rooms that have a lot of natural light may tolerate a warmer colour. Similarly, if there’s too much light, a cool colour choice may make a small space too icy.
Choose your paint finish wisely. Reflective surfaces bounce light around, making the space feel larger. Glossy white trim against matte walls, for example, can create a sense of reflection and enhance the feeling of space.
The secret to painting a small area is to prevent visual distractions. Whenever something jumps out at you, the eye loses its sense of continuity, and a person begins to feel cramped. It’s therefore wise to use patterns sparingly. To visually open spaces, paint the trim in a room a different shade of the main colour by adding black or white to the base. This will cause the trim to fade into the background.
SICO 3.78-L Pure White Pearl Latex Interior Paint for Doors and Trim. $67.99 at RONA stores or online.
Wall art
If you have low ceilings, make the walls appear taller by painting a one-foot border around the edge of the ceiling in the same colour as the walls. Another way to create the illusion of height is to paint the bottom half of a wall in a darker colour than the top.
Using glossy paint sheens also makes ceilings look higher and rooms appear larger, because the resulting shiny surface reflects more light. Painting the ceiling a soft pastel, such as Sico Paints Starburst (6046-11) lavender, can make the room appear higher.
Increased height can also be achieved by creating an ombre wall, which gradually transitions from a darker colour at the bottom of the walls to a lighter shade of the same hue at the top. This ombre effect draws the eye upward and creates a more spacious feel. To achieve this look, use two or three shades from the same colour family and gradually blend colours from the bottom upwards using a sponge or blending brush.
Extending your colour palette to adjacent spaces creates a sense of continuity and expansiveness, so consider using the same colour scheme in a hallway or connecting rooms, whether in the same or variation of shades.
SICO Endurance Neutral-Base Semi-Gloss Finish 100 % Acrylic Tintable Paint and Primer – 3.78-L. $62.99 at RONA stores or online.
No matter what space-expanding tricks you opt for, RONA recommends these must-haves for any paint projects:
- Drop cloths or plastic sheeting to protect floors and furniture from paint splatters and spills.
- Step ladder to safely access tops of walls and ceilings.
- Paint brushes to cut in around edges and blend small areas. Use an angled sash brush (2-3 inches) for precise edge work and blending.
- Paint rollers to apply and blend paint coats.
- Blending brushes or sponges to smooth transitions between colours. Use a sea sponge or a specialized blending brush to create a gradient effect.
- Paint tray and liners to hold paint and make it easy to load rollers. Use a sturdy paint tray with disposable liners for easy cleanup.
Trimaco Smart Grip Cloth Drop 4-ft x 10-ft. $14.49 at RONA stores or online.
Metaltech 225-lb Capacity 3-Step Household Stool – Steel. $57.99 at RONA stores or online.
Purdy Syntox 1-Pack Nylon Angle 2-in Paint Brush. $21.49 at RONA stores or online.
Bennett Superior Finish Paint Roller and Cage Roller 4-in with 16-in Handle. $6.19 at RONA stores or online.
Project Source 10-Pack Foam Assorted Multiple Sizes Paint Brushes. $11.19 at RONA stores or online.
Bennett Paint Tray – Plastic – Reusable – Red. $4.19 at RONA stores or online.
About RONA inc.
RONA inc. is one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers and is headquartered in Boucherville, Québec. The RONA inc. network operates or services some 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+, RONA, Réno-Dépôt, and Dick’s Lumber banners. With a long and rich history, RONA inc. has supported Canadians in their home improvement and construction projects since 1939. To achieve this, the company relies on a team of 21,000 employees, to whom it strives to provide an inclusive workplace where everyone is invited to contribute. RONA inc. is one of the Montréal region’s Top Employers since 2021. As a result of its ongoing efforts in sustainable development, the company is recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. To learn more about the company, visit the website www.ronainc.ca.
