Visual weight

The judicious use of colour is a simple and effective way to make the spaces we live in more livable. Colour affects our mood and well-being and influences the way we perceive a space and is inextricably linked with the concept of ‘visual weight’. A darker-coloured wall is visually heavier than a lighter-coloured one. The darker colour connotes a sense of mass and weight and makes a surface feel closer to us than lighter-coloured one. It’s a simple and intuitive concept and if used properly can make small rooms seem more spacious and cavernous spaces a little more manageable. 

My discussion here is not to address the actual selection of colour in a home but rather to look at how density and depth of colour connotes a ‘visual weight’ to a surface or object.

On many occasions I’ve had clients lament about the claustrophobic nature of a space they’d like to open up and would articulate to me strategies – often very expensive ones – that would alleviate the problem.  Although the strategies often worked, it would frequently be the case that a simple rethinking of the visual weights of walls and ceilings was all they needed for their home.

Ceilings, by the very nature of being above our heads, are profoundly affected by the concept of visual weight. Exposed wood beams with wood decking as a ceiling treatment are very common here on the West Coast. The rich colour of the stained wood mixed with the texture of the decking gives considerable visual mass to a ceiling and tends to make it feel lower than it would in a lighter material. The composition often works successfully in a high space but can often feel oppressive in a lower one. I’ll remedy this by painting the beams a light colour and introducing a thin, lightly painted layer of drywall between the beams, over the decking, to transform the space into a far less claustrophobic one. The rule is a simple, lighter feels higher and equally, when the desire is to create coziness and intimacy – like in a reading nook or homework area - the painting of the ceiling in a darker, warmer colour will make it feel lower and enhance the quality of intimacy in the space.

Painting a single wall within a room a darker colour makes that wall stand out within the space and draws the eye to it. Often called a feature wall or accent wall, this use of visual weight makes a wall more dominant and important within a room and is wonderful way of highlighting an important feature of the home or of making a space more dynamic. Think about using a fun, graphic wallpaper to create the same effect.

Alcoves and nooks can be painted entirely in a darker, deeper colour than the rooms they open onto to maximize their sense of separation. This creates a sense of shelter and protection within the alcove while making a feature of the alcove itself from the room it adjoins.

How we feel within a space can be influenced by many different factors, even the simplest ones. The careful use of colour can influence the ‘visual weight’ of walls and ceilings and can be a positive transformation for any space.