When it comes to physical spaces, what we see isn’t always what we get. Yes, we’re constrained by square footages, walls and ceilings – but with clever usage of paint colours, these spaces can dramatically transform. Didn’t get your dream high ceilings? With paint, you can achieve that look anyway. These visual illusions can highlight special features in your home, and add some depth to your design.

1. Enlarge

To make a small room appear larger, consider painting the shorter walls with light, cool colours such as pale blues or soft greys. This technique draws the eye upwards and creates a sense of expanded height, making the room feel more spacious and open. The rumours are true – lighter colours tend to open up a space.

2. Elongate

To elongate a room or hallway, paint the shorter walls with a deeper, warmer colour while keeping the longer walls and ceiling in a lighter shade. This contrast creates a visual illusion of length, making the space appear more elongated and dynamic.

3. Narrow

If you have a wide room that you want to visually narrow, paint the shorter walls with darker colours, such as deep greens or rich browns. This technique creates a sense of depth and brings the walls closer together, making the room feel more intimate and cosy.

4. Lengthen

To make a low ceiling appear higher and elongate the vertical space, paint a wide horizontal stripe of a lighter colour across the walls. This draws the eye upward and gives the illusion of a taller ceiling. Now your room feels more open and airy.

5. Highlight

To draw attention to a specific architectural feature or focal point, use a contrasting colour to create an accent wall. This technique adds depth and visual interest, directing the eye to the highlighted area and creating a striking focal point within the room.

6. Demote

If you have a visually dominant element in the room that you want to minimise, such as an exposed pipe or an unsightly feature, paint it in a colour that matches the surrounding walls. This technique helps the element blend into the background, reducing its visual impact and allowing other design elements to take centre stage.

7. Compact 

To create a cosy and intimate atmosphere in a large, open space, consider painting all the walls in a darker hue. This technique brings the walls closer together visually, creating a sense of enclosure and making the space feel more intimate and inviting.

8. Abridge 

To visually shorten a long wall, paint the end walls in a darker shade while keeping the long wall in a lighter colour. This creates a visual break and gives the illusion of a shorter wall, adding balance and proportion to the space.

Transform your space with Gush.

Colour is all it takes to significantly transform the perception of your space. Experiment with different colours and placements and see how it makes you feel. We recommend purchasing sample sheets first, for more accurate representations of colour. Beyond just the visual, Gush paint transforms the quality of air in your home too. With 6 features in 1 and gorgeous colours to boot, you’re one step closer to the home of your dreams.

More resources:

Which Gush paint should I get?
How do I match paint colours with house lighting?
How colour affects our mood
Gush’s guide to colour theory 
15 design styles in every colour 

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