5 Paint Colors You Should Never Use in a Small Room—and What to Try Instead

Paint can transform a room faster than new furniture, but in a small space, the wrong shade can work against you. What seems bold and exciting in a magazine spread can be heavy and overwhelming when you live with it every day.

So while designers agree that no hue is inherently bad, certain tones tend to shrink a space—or distort its natural light. Before you pick up that roller, below are a few colors that experts say you should think twice about using in small rooms.

Gray

Gray is a famously versatile neutral, but in a small room, that sophistication can fade fast. Without enough natural light or contrast, cooler grays tend to emphasize shadows, making the walls feel flat, and the atmosphere unexpectedly heavy. “It’s the kind of shift that can turn elegant into clinical before you even realize what’s happening,” says interior deisgner Nomita Joshi Gupta.

To lift that mood, she suggests introducing contrast, rather than abandoning gray altogether. Simple details, like bright blue trim or a colorful ceiling, can completely change the perception of space.

Black and Charcoal

Dark paint isn’t off-limits in a small room, but certain shades will work against you more than others. According to interior designer Isabel Clune, black, charcoal, and other low-chroma colors tend to swallow what little brightness a compact space has.

Instead, she recommends reaching for colors that are deeply pigmented to add richness and depth. “Embrace that drama, rather than fear it,” she says. “Bold jewel tones like burgundy, navy, and forest green bring character, coziness, and a sense of intentionality."

Pale and Muted Colors

Clune also advises against choosing something too pale. Light, muted shades are often recommended as an easy fix for small rooms, but they aren’t always the safest choice.

“It can leave a compact space feeling washed out and one-dimensional—more like an afterthought than a deliberate design moment,” she says. In rooms that don’t get much natural light, those soft tones can fall even flatter, creating an underwhelming atmosphere.

She recommends leaning into richer, more saturated tones to bring life back into the space. Envelop a powder room or den in a single bold shade, such as royal purple, chocolate brown, or a deep jewel tone.

To enhance that impact, Clune often paints the walls, trim, and doors in the same color for “a seamless, cocoon-like effect,” keeping the ceiling white if the room needs a touch of visual lift. Maintaining consistent color at eye level, she says, helps the eye rest and reduces the contrast breaks that can make a small room feel smaller.

Deep Blue

Deep blue is one of those colors that seems universally beloved, but in small rooms, it can be polarizing. According to Rachel Hurley, founder and principal architect of Studio Ha, the color has a genuine physiological impact. “It can slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and reduce anxiety,” she notes. “No other color commands your body to relax more.”

However, context is everything. In a small or dimly lit room, deep blues tend to absorb far more light than you expect, which can tip the mood from soothing to stark. Instead of enveloping you, the color can leave you feeling “cold and gloomy,” she says.

The key is balance. Pairing dark blue with lighter textures, reflective surfaces, or strategically placed lighting makes it feel intentional.

Terracotta

Terracotta has a way of announcing itself the moment you step into a room—it's warm, confident, and unapologetically energetic. However, that same energy can overwhelm a small space.

“Its rich saturation absorbs light rather than reflecting it, which means a compact or dimly lit room may start to feel heavy and closed in,” says Hurley. “Instead of sharpening focus, it can heighten tension.”

If you love the warmth and energy of terracotta but don’t want to compromise on a room’s openness, then Hurley recommends looking for softer alternatives, like peach or coral. “They carry the same uplifting quality while reflecting more light, allowing the room to feel brighter and more expansive," she notes.