Basements are spaces in the house that rarely see natural light. This single fact regarding basements have an impact on the paint color that you should choose for these spaces. Colors that look great in the sun in the living room may look like a cave if applied to the cinder block walls that are eight feet underground.
If you get the color right, your basement will become an inviting retreat. If you get the color wrong, you will avoid that space for many year. There are a handful of smart color choices for basements.
The trick to choosing paint for your basement depend on the color and how that color reflects the little light that is present in these spaces. Some colors will reflect the basement light while others will absorb it. A few colors will do both depending on the time of day.
The color choices that work best in basements include the following:
Top Paint Color Choices For Your Basement
1. Cool Grays
Cool grays are one of the most popular colors to use for basements. Shades like October Mist and Agreeable Gray will provide a neutral color that picks up the light from the basements artificial light bulbs. The cool grays will reflect the light in the room rather than reflecting it off the wall.
This color will provide a quiet, even background for the other element in the basement. If combined with white trim in the ceiling, it will provide the illusion of added height to the basement’s low ceilings. The only caveat is that you should test the color at night using the same type of light that you will use in the basement.
2. Deep Charcoal
Deep charcoal color is another color that can be used in basements. Use this color on three of the walls in the basement while leaving the fourth wall off-white. This will provide the illusion of depth to the basement floor.
This choice is best for media rooms or home gyms that you want to feel like a cocoon-like space in which the individual feels comfortable and in control of there environment. Use high gloss or satin trim in the basement for this color choice. This will ensure that there are no dark areas in the basement that could make the space feel like a basement box of your own.
You should avoid this color choice in basements that are already narrow in width with only a single ceiling light fixture.
3. Warm Taupes
Warm taupes can be used for basements that are meant to function as a family room. Choose warm taupes with a brown hue like Revere Pewter.
This color will provide a cozy environment in your basement that will not feel as cold as wood tones or other darker colors. This color choice will hide the imperfection in the basements foundation walls. The downside of this color is that warm taupes can make small areas like laundry room or storage areas feel too cozy and clutter-free in the basement. Avoid this color choice for these areas.
4. Bright White
Bright white can be used in basements. However, bright white should not be too brilliant in its color.
Use a bright white with a touch of warmth to the color like Swiss Coffee or Balboa Mist that is barely-there greige. These colors will reflect all the light in your basement while looking great against the basement walls. Use this color in basement bedrooms or home offices that need the light to provide function for the basement’s occupants. Paint the same color on the basement ceiling or use one shade lighter to provide the illusion of height to the basement.
5. Soft Sage Green
Soft sage green is a color that will provide a sense of calm in the basement regardless of whether your basement has windows or not. A color like Healing Aloe or Sagebrush will add the calm feeling to the basement without becoming too bright or too dark.
This color choice will mask the musty smell that is common in basements. Many people associate the color green with fresh air. Avoid using bright colors in your basement if you choose sage green for your basement walls. Use one pop of color in the room instead of many to maintain the calming atmosphere in your basement.
6. Navy Blue
Navy blue is a color that many people are surprised to see used in basements. However, using navy blue on one accent wall can make the rest of the basement area look more intentionaly designed.
Navy blue will absorb the basement’s light so ensure that the basement contains enough lighting for functionality. This color choice is best used in areas such as a basement library or home theater. Avoid navy blue if the basement is too small and uses only one ceiling light fixture to brighten the space.
7. Blush or Pale Terracotta
Blush or pale terracotta tones are used in basements for good reason. These colors will contrast the typical cool color of the basement’s concrete floors. Colors like Setting Plaster will add life to your basement while maintaining a subtle color choice.
These colors work best with the mid-century furniture or moddern lighting fixtures in the basement. Ensure that the basement contains strong artificial lights because the terracotta colors will reflect that light to the shade of orange. Ensure that you test the color samples at the same time of day when you use the basement the most.
This color choice will make your basement feel like it is a part of the rest of your home.
8. Pearlescent and Metallic
Light reflective metallics or pearlescent basement paint is an excellent choice to use if you want to use every bit of light in your basement. Use a very subtle silver or a neutral pearlized color on the ceiling in your basement.
These colors will not dramatically coat your basement walls in glitter paint but will add a touch of high-end plaster to your basement. The pearlescent color choice is more expensive and requires more skill in application. However, the specific reflective light from the basement ceiling will make the effort to use this color worthwhile.
9. Earthy Clay Reds
Earthy clay reds or terracotta oranges can transform a basement into a Tuscan-themed retreat. Limit the saturation of these colors to only one feature wall or built-in bookshelves in the basement. Use these colors to add warmth to a basement that otherwise feels too chill for the subterranean area of the home.
Add plenty of cream and natural wood shades to the basement when using these colors. These colors work well for homeowners who already use warm colors in their main areas of the house. Finally, the color of the basement floor deserves consideration.
10. Epoxy and Concrete Stains
Many basement makeovers now use epoxy or concrete stains in soft greige or pale moss tones for the basements’ floors. These colors will not only provide grounding to the basements but will allow for the use of lighter colors on the basement walls. Use a tinted concrete color for the basement floor that has a low-sheen finish to reflect the light into the basement.
This color choice is one of the least expected color choices for basements yet one of the most effective. Choosing paint colors for your basement requires a few steps. First, walk through your basement with the paint samples at the times that you use that area of your basement.
Tape the samples to the basement walls and live with them for a few days. Note how the color change with the different lights from the basement bulbs after the sun sets. The right shade of paint for your basement will do more than coat the walls.
The right shade will convince you that the lowest level in your house is exactly where you want to be.
