How To Successfully Paint Small Spaces Dark Colors & Actually Make Your Room Look BIGGER
Bold, monochromatic rooms are trending this year and odds are, if you scroll social media as much as I do, youāve seen home transformations where paint is the main event. Iām talking paint on the walls, paint on the ceiling, the trim, the doors ā everywhere.
The result is a luxurious, high-end feel that punches a pack to the senses in the best possible way. But how can you get the same luxe effect in your everyday DIY projects? Let me show you.
Inspiration & Influence š
Julia Marcum from @chrislovesjulia does this so well. In fact, her primary bedroom makeover was the original inspiration for our guest bathroom DIY project. Seeing her do such a moody color in a lower-light room gave me hope for my windowless, tiny guest bathroom. But I knew it wouldnāt be as simple as slapping on some paint. To make this work, Iād have to break all the design rules I had ingrained into my brain.
@homebodyhq WALLPAPERING THE CEILING stay tuned friends #bathroomdecor #guestbathmakeover #smallbathroomdesign #wallpaperceiling #ceilingwallpaper
I found the most perfect wallpaper, which featured a mystifying burgundy, outlined with bees and mushrooms throughout. This color was exactly what I was looking for, however, the folks on TikTok were not impressed.
I was talked out of this stunningly dark, chocolatey-red color and opted for a faded version of the shame shade. As I painted it on, I hated it. My vision for the space was much more elevated and moody ā almost like a sexy boutique hotel bathroom, full of so much personality, you forget how small the space actually isā¦
Image via Mackenzie Edwards
This faded shade was giving preschool bathroom.
So against the better judgment of the very qualified viewers of TikTok ;), I painted over it with Benjamin Mooreās Townsend Harbor Brown.
@homebodyhq Replying to @dwrldgster but I like it šš¼ #unpopularopinioncheck #uniquebathroom #brownbathroom #bathroompaint
I affectionately call it āred velvet cakeā because itās rich and delicious. In some light, itās a brown but with remarkable depth, and in other light, itās a bold red lipstick shade worn by your favorite Hollywood icon.
The followers were too stunned to speak. Everyone flooded my comments section with overwhelming love and adoration for a 5-by-7 room decked out with mushrooms and golden accents.
Still Nervous To Double Down On Dark Paint? š«£
I totally understand the hesitation to go for such a bold color. We were always taught that dark colors make spaces feel small. And while that may be the rule, thereās always an exception. Typically, when someone wants a space to feel bigger and more open, theyāll opt for a bright white or something that easily bounces light around the room. The combination of a clean palette and a mirror-like reflection of light can definitely make a small, dark space feel completely different. But itās not the only way. Hereās what I would (and did) do.
Paint The *Right* Surfaces šØ
Image via Mackenzie Edwards
The bathroom could handle this bold color because one of the walls is just a bright white shower, giving some necessary balance to the space. When looking in the paint can, this color seems like a black hole, sucking in all of the light. In reality, HALF of this room is a shiny, reflective white tile. Instead of painting the ceiling (which I almost did), I decided to add the patterned wallpaper. It has a lighter color background with loads of visual interest, which immediately draws your eye up. In this example, the dark colors lead you naturally to the ceiling, making this space feel much taller!
Make It Monochromatic š¤
Image via Mackenzie Edwards
The viral monochromatic look can be tricky. Most people worry that painting everything the same color will just wash everything out. In this example, painting the vanity the same color as the wall did make it disappearā¦like magic.
Painting larger pieces in a space to match the walls camouflages them, tricking your mind into thinking the room is bigger than it really is. Your eye doesnāt see a vanity and a wall ā it sees the design as a whole! Mission accomplished.
We also added a box trim detail on the walls, painting them the same color. This creates depth without feeling overwhelming.
Reflect Light However You Can š”
Image via Mackenzie Edwards
This room felt dark when it was a lighter colorā¦ so I was worried. The fact that it doesnāt have any windows means that weāre reliant on overhead lighting, which usually isnāt the best. Thatās why I opted for the largest mirror I could fit in here. Itās MASSIVE and reflects light from the hallway, the white shower, and the additional lights we added over the sink. Who needs a window?
The Finished Product āØ
Image via Mackenzie Edwards
Iād be lying if I said everyone on the internet loved my bathroom because they certainly didnāt, but it is my favorite room in our house. Itās full of personality and feels majorly high-end. I feel like Iāve stepped into a ruby every time I visit the bathroom.
Design rules are meant to be broken. As a self-proclaimed maximalist, itās never about whittling down my style. Itās about making it well-rounded, multi-dimensional. These few tricks can help you jump on that design trend youāve been eyeing without a major āthis is what I wantedā¦ and this is what I gotā moment. Happy painting!
Looking for more DIY tips? Sign up for our newsletter!
Header image via Mackenzie Edwards
- Create An Inviting Entryway With These Pro Tips āŗ
- 15 Stunning Monochromatic Interiors āŗ
- Easy Decorating Hacks To Make A Small Space Feel Larger āŗ
- 20 Trendy + Timeless Bathroom Paint Colors - Brit + Co āŗ
- These Are The Top Kitchen Paint Colors For 2024 - Brit + Co āŗ
- Book Nooks Are The Trendiest Bathroom Decor Ideas Right Now - Brit + Co āŗ
- We Found The Perfect Bold Wallpaper For Color Lovers - Brit + Co āŗ
- 18 Gorgeous, Designer-Loved Kitchen Cabinet Paint Colors - Brit + Co āŗ
- The 41 Dreamiest Front Door And Exterior Paint Colors - Brit + Co āŗ
- 8 Designer-Loved Colors For All Your Nursery Decor In 2025 - Brit + Co āŗ