6 pro painting tips to overcome your fear of the dark side | Home & Garden

Many current interior design trends are embracing a darker, moodier aesthetic — and that extends to paint colors, too. While statement colors sometimes can be intimidating, two local experts share advice on how to successfully utilize dark paint throughout your home.

See the light

First, consider the light in your space — as well as the impact you’re looking to have in your room.

“If it’s a small room and you’re going for effect, then obviously lighting might not matter as much,” says Ryan Vaughn, owner of Limitless Services, a full-service interior and exterior painting provider based in Lancaster. “But if the room doesn’t have a lot of natural light in it, painting a really dark color can really shrink the size of the room from a visual standpoint.

“Imagine you have … a powder room or even just an office space without a window in it … if you are to paint it all a dark color and shut the door to all natural light, it’s going to instantly shrink the size of the room. It’s going to feel half the size that it actually is,” Vaughn says. “Remember that light reflects, and light does reflect off the paint, so natural light is going to open it up and make it feel bigger. If you have one window in there, it’s going to feel completely different.”

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Start small

When used intentionally, however, dark paint colors can feel cozy, as opposed to stifling.

Ursula Mendoza-Carrasquillo, lead designer for interior design services at Always Never Done — a furniture and home decor retail shop and design services/furniture refinishing company based in Landisville — suggests starting with a small space, like a powder room.

“For those who are a little color conscious or have color phobia, maybe (start with) a small half bathroom,” Mendoza-Carrasquillo says. “It’s a minimal investment because it’s not as much paint. Let’s be real, paint right now is expensive. What used to cost $30 per gallon is now $70 per gallon … It’s also an enclosed space. You don’t have to necessarily worry about (a bathroom) being open to other spaces.”

Set the mood

A bedroom can also be a great space to utilize dark paint colors, Vaughn says.

“If you like the feeling that it’s really pitch black and dark in your room, darker colors in your bedroom can really help give you that feeling,” Vaughn says. “Even with a lamp on, it will set the mood as though it’s much darker in the room than it actually is. … It can really have an amazing mood-setting (quality).”

Vaughn and Mendoza-Carrasquillo agree that charcoals, greens and blues have been popular as of late.

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Don’t skip the prep

In order to successfully paint with dark colors, preparation is key, the experts say.

Mendoza-Carrasquillo suggests starting with a color sample to ensure you’re certain of the paint you’ve chosen before committing to an entire room.

“I always have my clients live with (a paint color) for about a week,” Mendoza-Carrasquillo says. “Dark colors can be quite extreme for some people … Color sensitivity is so personal. It’s like a food palate; everyone tastes the same thing differently… Every eye sees color very differently … Put it on your wall, live with it, come in and out of that room at different times of day… Initially, you’re going to see it differently than when you live with it for a few days.”

Gear up for extra coats

You will also likely need to use more paint to achieve full coverage, as compared to painting with lighter hues. Dark paints tend to be thinner in consistency due to the increased number of tints that are added to the base to achieve your desired color, Vaughn says.

“Red, purples and blues tend to be harder to get coverage, especially if you’re going over a lighter color,” Vaughn says. “You might want to allow for multiple applications, two to three coats, to get the look you desire.”

Take a chance

Don’t be dissuaded from embracing bold paint colors if it’s something you’re interested in, Mendoza-Carrasquillo advises.

“My biggest tip is for people to not be so afraid of trying things out,” she says. “It’s a risky thing to do, people think, but in the end, it’s just paint … it’s not permanent.

“Dark colors emote such a feeling,” Mendoza-Carrasquillo says. “When people walk in, it feels like a hug.”