Paint tips for a long room with a low ceiling?

Question

I have a large, rectangular basement family room (about 28 feet x 15 feet), with a low ceiling.  I'm getting ready to paint it and am wondering how to visually raise the ceiling while minimizing the length of the room so it doesn't look like a bowling alley.  I was thinking about a warm, deep color on the far, short wall, and something cool and light on the ceiling, with mid-tones on the long walls.  Does that sound about right, or is there some other scheme that might work better?

I found a deep red-orange that I really like, but I'm not sure if that would be a good choice, or what other colors would work with it.  Any suggestions?

dee · Accepted Answer

It all sounds right in theory.  I have found that painting a low ceiling anything other than white draws attention to it.  White fits the bill for being cool and light.  Benjamin Moore cloud white is a good choice.  I think warm tones are great for a basement.  Benjamin Moore  Tobacco Road would look great with a burnt red orange colour. Did this combo in the basement of a show home and it was very nice.

Anonymous · Answer

To shorten the room. Paint the farthest wall in a bright or dark color, something opposite the other three walls.  Dark or bright colors appear closer to you. 
We do this all the time for long hallways.
Use that wall also to be your focal point if it is viewable upon entrance of the room.

To make your ceiling appear taller, paint it a lighter tone of the same shade as the three main walls. Find the color of the three walls, on that same paint strip, use the lightest or next to the lightest color. Another trick is to bring the wall color about six inches onto the ceiling. This makes the walls look taller.

mickey · Answer

warm, bright colors appear closer, while cool colors tend to recede. so painting the farthest wall in a yellow-gold, orange-red color would make the room seem less long and narrow.
painting the entire room including the ceiling the same color will also make the room seem higher and shorter. vertical stripes on the wall will also give the illusion of height. using some tall and narrow pieces of furniture in the room will also help.

Anonymous · Answer

I think a dark color on the far smaller wall might make the space look even longer/deeper.  Darker/cooler colors can appear to receed depending on what your other colors are.  What if you pulled the light ceiling color down the wall about 4"?

Paint tips for a long room with a low ceiling?

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