SMALL SPACES, BIG IDEAS paint tricks

WITH THE RIGHT IDEAS AND A PAINTBRUSH TO HAND, YOU CAN MAKE COMPACT SPACES FEEL GRAND

- Hugh Metcalf

1 MATCH PAINT WITH FURNISHINGS

For a space with awkward angles, one idea is to paint the walls and ceiling in a colour and then continue across the furniture. 'I don't think there is a single straight wall in this house. Everything is at an angle, so at times positioning furniture and art in a way that felt natural and correct was challenging.'

Chloé Mason Gray, interior designer

2 CAMOUFLAGE ARCHITECTURE

The colour-drenching trend, where every element from the ceiling down to the skirting is painted in the same colour, is a shortcut to making small rooms feel more streamlined. 'Enveloping a room in colour and unifying the architecture is a great way to make boundaries disappear and will also calm down any busyness that can feel overwhelming in a small footprint. 

Lane McNab, interior designer 

3 USE THE RIGHT PAINT 

Full spectrum paints don't contain any black (most paint colours do). This makes them more reflective in light shades and richer and deeper in other colours. Choosing full spectrum paints reflects the full range of natural light, which adds asense of harmony and expansion to a room. They were once more specialist products, but options such as Aura from Benjamin Moore prove full spectrum paints are now more widely available. 

Philippa Radon, paint specialist for C2 Paint 

4 SKEW PERSPECTIVE