People Always Doubt This One Rule-Breaking Painting Choice, but It Works Almost Every Time
People have a lot of opinions about paint, and if you’ve ever worked on a project in your own home then you’re probably all too familiar with friends and family sharing their thoughts on your choices. Well, interior stylist Dann Boyles likes to intentionally go against the grain when it comes to painting small spaces. While his choices are bold and maybe even a bit controversial, I agree with him.
He Believes Smaller Rooms Should Have More Intense Paint Colors
“The main thing is always about using darker, more saturated colors in small spaces,” Dann said during his House Tour. “For me, that’s not breaking a design rule, but I always get the doubters when I’m picking paint. I always take into mind the principles of good design, but at the end of the day, if it looks good to my eye, that’s what I’m most interested in.”
Dann’s 800-square-foot historic Michigan home is made up of small rooms, and each has a bold color choice. The most dramatic is likely the primary bedroom, where the walls, trim, doors, and ceiling are painted with Farrow & Ball’s “Green Smoke.”
It Doesn’t Necessarily Have to Be a Dark Color
It doesn’t have to be a dark color to make a dramatic difference. Take the bathroom in Dann’s house, which is painted with Benjamin Moore’s “Baker’s Dozen.” It’s a warm orange that’s “saturated” and makes the room feel enveloping. At first, Dann hated the bathroom but didn’t spend a lot on the makeover. “Paint is our biggest weapon against boring, ugly spaces,” Dann said. “In this case, much cheaper than the $8,000 to $10,000 price tag of a bathroom renovation.”
Dann’s bold paint choices remind us that, at the end of the day, it’s all about how you want to feel in your space. Whatever paint you choose, I believe darker, more dramatic shades can make a room feel like a hug. To see more of Dann’s paint color choices, visit the full House Tour.