For some of us who live in smaller spaces, decorating our home is all about trying to make the room look bigger. Even though a tiny house can feel cozy or intimate, you don’t want it to feel suffocating. At the same time, too big of a space is not that pleasant either as it can make the room feel empty. Making areas appear bigger or smaller is no easy task. Rearranging your furniture can only save much space, and it is not like you can break down walls either. The solution for this problem is not about what you put or remove in it; rather, it is how you transform the space itself. Have you ever considered painting your HDB flat?
Painting your HDB flat can do wonders in making a small room look bigger. The color you choose can alter the perception of your home’s size and shape. At the same time, choosing the wrong paint color can make your small space appear even smaller.
With that said, do not let that intimidate you in getting started with designing your home. All you need are some essential tips and tricks on how to maximize a smaller space. To help you, here are six ways you can improve the interior of your HDB through painting.
Tips on Painting your HDB Space
- Go Monochrome
When we say painting your HDB flat monochromatically, it doesn’t mean paint every space with the same color. Instead, it suggests painting your interior with similar colors in the same spectrum. It can be different shades of red, blue, or even white.
If you have a narrow space, painting both end walls a shade darker than the other divisions can make the room feel a bit closer. For these spaces, it is also likely that the walls will be huge. Keeping them bare or painting them in one color will only accentuate the empty wall. Paint the different colors above and below, with the darker shade on the bottom, to break up space.
For the ceilings, trims, and doors, use the same color throughout your home. Make sure it is a shade lighter than your walls if you have a small space. By doing so, the eyes will be less aware of where the wall ends, and the ceiling begins. For bigger homes, a tall and large ceiling can’t feel uncomfortable. A darker color can create the perception of a lower ceiling.
Painting the bathrooms or bedrooms a different color may be tempting, but refrain yourself from doing so. Using a single color throughout your HDB flat will create a seamless look and smooth flow from room to room.
- Contrast Your Colors
If painting your HDB flat in one color does not sound appealing to you, you can still make your small space bigger by using contrasting colors. Having a wall painted an accent color can create an illusion, drawing the eye to a single focal point.
You can play around with different contrasting colors. Of course, the safer bet is to use contrasting neutral colors, so your space will feel monochromatic even if you added accent colors. However, if you want to combine two high-contrast colors, it can also do the trick.
If you have a rectangular room, paint the two long walls with a darker color, instead of painting just one wall. It emphasizes the room’s length and makes it feel bigger.
- Choose the Right Finish
Aside from color, the right finish is essential in painting your HDB flat. Finish refers to the surface texture the paint creates and how much light bounces off the painted surface. The two primary paint finishes available out there are flat (no shine) and high-gloss (nothing but shine)—other finishes such as eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss fall between those two.
Generally, eggshell or satin finishes are used. For smaller spaces, a slightly glossier finish makes the room look more prominent as it reflects the light. Make sure to paint with higher gloss on surfaces that can catch the natural light so that it will scatter throughout the room. For the trims and doors, choose a semi-gloss paint.
Furthermore, glossier paints are more durable and easier to clean. That is why these types of paints are recommended for spaces like the bathroom, kitchen, and other high-traffic areas in your home.
- Consider Undertones
If you want to achieve the most optimum results, you have to be meticulous in selecting the color of your paint. When looking for paints, choose a color with the right undertone. Undertone refers to the blend of pigments used to create the final color paint.
For the right undertone, look at the fixed elements of your home, such as the flooring and cabinets, and choose a color that matches them. Undertones come in a wide range of colors, from neutrals to violet or green. Bring home paint chips of different colors so that you can compare them to the elements of your home.
Choosing paint based undertones is not that easy, and it takes practice to have a trained eye. With that said, you can ask paint experts to help you.
- Go Light or Dark
When we talk about painting your HDB flat, the conversation of light or dark color paint always comes up. Different paint colors create different perceptions in a room. Generally, light colors make surfaces appear far away, while darker colors create surfaces that appear to move towards you.
However, don’t think that you can’t use dark colors for smaller spaces. Using a dark color can help blur the edges of the walls and create the illusion of a more spacious room. Darker shades of paint also work to open up space when paired with trims colored with clean white.
If your room has a decent amount of natural light, you may consider using warmer tones so it will reflect throughout the space. On the other hand, if the interior relies on artificial light, painting your HDB flat in lighter colors is a safe way to go. Make sure to test how the paint color impacts the artificial light of the room; this can be done to both light and dark colors.
- Don’t Fear Patterns
If you want to create an exciting and fun atmosphere in your interior, you can utilize patterns, such as stripes. Painting your HDB flat with a stripe pattern can help in changing the perception of your space. Vertical lines make a room appear taller, while horizontal stripes make the room feel longer or broader.
HDB Painting in Singapore
Now that you have more information about paint colors, you can now create better decisions according to your needs. However, it may still be overwhelming to do this all yourself. Eliciting professional help will make sure you are getting results that are both safe and aesthetically pleasing.
M3 Multiservices Pte Ltd is one of the leading house painting contractors in Singapore. For 9 years, the company has built a strong clientele through its excellent services, both in safety and aesthetics. M3M also offers an on-site analysis to figure out the solutions that will best suit the needs of your property.
Aside from house painting, the company also offers other services such as waterproofing, minor works in construction, and other general contract work, to ensure that ceiling leak will not be a problem for a long time. M3M is a reliable company that delivers high-quality service every time.