Would this make a small room look smaller?

[CroissantNeuf]

DS's bedroom is the smallest in the house (approx 8ft x 10ft).

Its time to tart it up a bit as its too babyish for a 7 year old so I'm going to repaint it light blue but wondered.... if I did one wall a bit darker would it make the room look smaller? Would it make a difference if it was one of the longer or shorter walls?

One of my uni housemates insisted that painting the ceiling darker than the walls would make the room look bigger but it just made it look like the ceiling was caving in.

I'd be tempted to go white or very close to it and have a feature light blue wall.

Funny you should say about painting the ceiling dark...in our first house that we bought we went mad painting rooms having lived in magnolia rented houses for years. Anyway we painted the tiny bathroom dark blue (walls and ceiling). It was like being in a cave .

Re: DS's bedroom -I think white might be a dirt magnet a bit too light. I was thinking more of a light sky blue

Dark colours pulls walls in.

Have you asked your ds what colour he would like? Mine wants yellow. I don't think he cares whether it makes the room look bigger or smaller. (On the other hand, as he has had to endure a vivid, deep purple that the previous owners left behind, I can't really say no!)

Oh he's happy with blue and the big decal thats going to go on one wall but I just thought it might add a bit of interest to have one wall slightly darker.

I've done all the prep, the ceiling and skirting boards today so will do the walls tomorrow. If I run out of paint I'll buy a darker one for the last wall, if not they'll stay the same.

Thanks everyone

I'd say that it would still stand out if you did it only slightly darker but too dark and it will make the room look smaller. I would also do either a feature wall or a decal rather than both - especially in a small room.

oh and the painting ceiling thing - I've been guilty of doing it myself but have come to the conclusion it's never a good idea grimaces as gets out the paintbrush for yet another coat of white paint over the clouds on a stormy day that the previous owners so kindly painted on the ceiling!