Dark Colors Make Rooms Smaller? Painting Myths You Should Know | Realtor Magazine
Painting a room can be one of the most budget-friendly ways to makeover a space. But some commonly held myths about choosing the right paint may prevent some homeowners from finding the truly perfect hue to enhance their space.
Realtor.com® recently spoke with painting experts to address some of these common myths about painting a home. Some of those include:
Dark paint colors make a room look small.
In fact, it’s just the opposite in many cases, says Ashley Blackmore, a real estate professional with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western Colorado Properties. “If you use a dark color for an accent wall, it can truly make the home look much larger by adding variation to the eye,” Blackmore told realtor.com®.
Primers aren’t necessary.
Many homeowners believe they can skip the primer step, but it’s a crucial one to ensure the paint goes on correctly, experts say. “In order for your project to look like it was done professionally, you absolutely need to use primer,” Kayla Martin, owner of Acme Home Interiors, told realtor.com®. “It helps make the paint job look smooth and allows the paint to adhere to the wall.”
You always need two coats of paint.
Don’t assume you need two coats of paint. Many times you may not. “If you apply primer and are using a quality brand of paint, you can absolutely get away with one coat of paint,” Martin says. However, it depends: Blackmore says in some cases she has seen rooms need six coats of paint, particularly where the walls weren’t properly prepped for painting or where there was a previously darker color painted.
Trim must always be white.
White trim is the most common color, but it doesn’t always have to be, Morgan McBride of Charleston Crafted told realtor.com®. She says that extending your wall color to the trim for both the top and bottom can make walls appear taller. It can also emphasize the details in the room’s moldings, she says.