SMALL SPACES MADE DARK AND BEAUTIFUL

As Spring gets ever closer, we're throwing open our curtains at last and our thoughts are turning to redecorating our homes. The spaces we are living in are getting ever smaller and even those big old houses of our dreams have tiny nooks and crannies to deal with. The old wisdom was to bring light in to every corner by painting everything bright and white. We say pah! to that. We've been inspired by a host of fab looking websites and pinterest boards that show how you can bring the small spaces in your home to life by going dark. Perfect for bedroom and bathroom makeovers we think. Here's a few of our favourite examples of small spaces transformed into something special by darker hues.    

Kevin O'Hara's recent article for designsponge.com explains why dark walls work so well in small spaces: "The main purpose of a fresh white coat of paint in a small room may be to make the room appear larger, but the fact is that a dark color can do the same thing — although in a different way. Instead of reflecting more light, it reflects less, and though this difference may seem misleading, the depth of its color and shadows — and the fact that it’s not so clearly defined by the light — blurs the edges of the room. By absorbing the light, the walls of the room are less clearly marked and can give an illusion of more space."   We've compiled a few great examples we love.  Here's why we think they work so well...  

Cosy up

Dark colours dial up the cosiness. This photo from designsponge.com shows how dark hues can have a really deep warmth to them. Pick a corner, add luscious textured fabrics, a patterned rug to define the space and a calming piece of art and hey presto - your bedroom can have its very own reading corner to curl up in.    

A room within a room

This image from houseandgarden.co.uk shows that deep colours don't have to be sombre or overbearing. The teal walls are strong but also quite soothing. If your bedroom doubles up as a workspace, colour can help to de-mark the thinking space, visibly separating it from your resting space. We think this desk is a perfect one for the bedroom as it can be closed to hide away the work clutter when it's time to turn your mind to sleep.    

A backdrop for bold colours

Dark walls give you permission to play with colour and texture. How great does this chartreuse coloured velvet couch look against these deep, grey walls? Together they make the perfect space for cuddling up in after dark. We'd love to try this colour combination in a bedroom. Image from ravens.be    

Show off the things you love

Dark backdrops can make your art and much loved objects come to life. This image shows perfectly how dark walls make things pop much more than a white wall can. Research has shown that we sleep better in a beautiful space surrounded by things we love and that make us happy. Dark walls can help to show them off to the max. Image from vtwonen.nl    

Iron out angles

Rooms tucked away in the attic often have strong angles and sloping ceilings to contend with. By painting this little bathroom slate grey the angles suddenly feel interesting rather than awkward. Image from MyDomain.com via pinterest    

Hide and seek

Got something to hide? A block of the same colour can be a handy way to avoid something catching the eye. This little storage corner stays soothing and avoids looking cluttered by keeping things black on black. Image from Ems Designblogg via pinterest   Just goes to show - even in little doses, dark can be lovely. Happy painting.