The colors of the walls influence our well-being and can completely change the effect of rooms. You can make a room appear larger or smaller through the targeted use of wall colors. For example, if all the walls are painted the same color, they will visually come closer together and the room will appear smaller. Individual colored walls, on the other hand, are a great eye-catcher and can give a room visual depth. Find out which walls in the room are best to paint with color and learn the 10 rules for choosing wall colors!
You have to keep this in mind when choosing a wall color
There are some basic principles that should be followed when choosing a color.
1. The principle of daylight
You would be amazed at how different the colors appear in daylight and artificial light! When choosing a color at the hardware store, it is particularly important to look at the color sample in daylight. Artificial light, especially the fluorescent lamps in hardware stores, change the colors.
2. In Situ (“am Ort”)
Order a color sample and test the effect of the color directly on the wall where it will be used. First apply a little of the paint to the lightest part of the wall and then to the darkest part. After the paint has dried, look at its effect first in daylight and then in artificial light. With this treatment you can judge how this color will look in your room. Be aware that the same wall color will look different in two different rooms.
3. The hairdresser's principle: 2 shades lighter
Hairdressers use this principle when choosing a hair dye. After choosing the right shade from the color palette, go one or two shades lighter. The color on the color chart always appears lighter because the area is small. The same color on a large surface will appear darker.
4. The principle of wall surface
Consider the wall surface. The color appears lighter on a smooth surface than on a rough, textured surface.
5. Gloss/Matte
If you choose a matte shade, you need to know that the selected color will appear warmer. The same color in a glossy finish will appear colder!
6. The principle of three colors
Do not use too many colors in the interior. In this case “less is more”. Choose three colors and use them in the ratio: 70%/20%/10%. If you only want to use two colors, go for 70/30 and avoid 50/50.
7. Insert a color three times
The golden rule in interior design says: When a color is chosen, it should be used three times in the room. For example: a blue wall, blue sofa cushions and blue vases. However, the colors may vary, the color itself is important.
8. The contrast principle
Create contrasts in the furnishings. Black and white, for example, form a popular, high-contrast color combination. Nothing makes a white interior stand out like a few black elements: picture frames, a candle holder or a lamp.
9. Principle of different structures
If you like a monochrome, same-color style, use different textures and patterns. Mix different fabrics: damask, jacquard fabrics,And, satin, etc. Despite the use of one color, different textures ensure that the interior is not monotonous and boring.
10. Principle of avoiding pure colors
When choosing a color for the interior, avoid pure colors, that is, without mixtures with other colors. This rule also applies to thewhite color. Contrary to all expectations, pure white is a difficult color because in daylight it tends to turn blue-gray. This would make the interior feel as comfortable as an operating room. If you want to avoid colored walls, choose vanilla or light gray.
Are colored walls still in?
The choice of wall colors should not be limited only to your favorite color palette and its saturation. Colored walls can influence our mood and put us in a good mood. Regarding the mechanisms of perception, one can also create optical illusions that influence how one perceives the environment. So it's not just about a trend, but about principles in interior design and color theory.
These optical illusions help to model a room with poor proportions so that it appears more harmonious. However, if you don't use wall colors correctly, you would achieve the opposite effect: the proportions of the room could be visually affected.
Before you start planning the color design of the rooms, it is particularly important to become more familiar with this topic. The principle of optical illusion that can be achieved with the use of colors has long been known to designers and decorators. Below we have compiled some of their tried and tested tricks.
Which wall should you paint in color to visually shorten a long room?
To visually change the proportions of a long and narrow room, paint the end wall or the furthest walls a darker color. This will visually “pull” the walls closer together and the room will appear proportional. This technique is most often used in hallway design.
Visually lengthen a room
Painting one of the walls in the room with a darker color will cause it to visually “move away.” However, you should keep in mind that a dark wall blocks out light. In light-flooded rooms, e.g. For example, if it faces south or west, you can paint the wall opposite the window dark. In rooms that are not very bright, the wall opposite the window should be white so that it can reflect enough light.
Set accents with strong colors
If you paint the frame profile of a niche or bay window a dark color, the viewer will always focus their attention on it. A similar effect is achieved by painting a wall in color. It is also a good option for a fireplace wall.
Design with stripes
Vertical stripes create a slim silhouette. Horizontal stripes make you wide. This also applies to wall design. Vertical stripes visually raise the ceiling and give the room a feeling of lightness. Horizontal stripes, on the other hand, will visually expand the room. However, avoid painting the entire interior in this way, choose only one wall. The width of the stripes also plays an important role. Depending on the desired effect, they can range from pinstripes to heavy block stripes.
Colored walls with sloping roofs – yes or no?
The sloping ceilings should be painted in the same color as the walls so as not to visually make the room smaller. If the attic is low, it will look higher,if they walls and ceilingPaint light blue. The blue color creates the illusion of more space through association with the endless sky.
More tips:
- If you want to have wallpaper and a colored wall in one room, the wall color should be repeated on the wallpaper.
- Contrasting colors should be used on adjacent walls.
- In an open living area, you can identify the different zones using colors, e.g. B. one color for the seating area and another for the kitchen.
- To create a three-dimensional feel in the room, play with a combination of glossy and matte finishes rather than colors.
