Just because your entryway might be smaller than others doesn’t mean it can’t still be warm and inviting. It just means you may need to be more selective about the colors you do and do not use in your space. When it comes to selecting colors for your small entryway, there are a few that are best to avoid.

Colors To Avoid for Small Entryways

Off-White

Believe it or not, the color off-white is not a color you should use for small entryways. While white tends to be a safe color for the home overall, off-white is a more neutral color that can make small spaces feel cold and without character or personality. Pure white tends to be more warm and inviting and can make spaces look brighter.

Brown

Another color to avoid is brown. Even though brown is an earth-tone color, in small spaces, it can restrict light, which can damper the mood entering your home. Some shades of brown might evoke associations with mud or dirt, which can subconsciously make the entryway feel uninviting and unclean. Brown can also be unforgiving when it comes to showing dirt, scuffs, and stains. Keeping a brown-painted entryway clean might require more effort and frequent touch-ups.

Black

One of the biggest things to avoid using in a small entryway is a matte color such as black. Having a flat, dark color can really give your home an eerie feel, especially during the winter or when it’s evening time. Black is also a cool color, so it lacks the warmth and inviting feel that many homeowners desire in their entryways—a cold and stark entryway might not set the right tone for a welcoming home. While color perceptions are subjective, some people might associate black with negative emotions or concepts like sadness or darkness, which can impact the overall mood and impression of your home.

That being said, at the end of the day, don’t let anything deter you from painting your entryway the color that will make you the happiest. Karen Haller, color psychology expert and author of The Little Book of Colour, told Homes & Gardens: “The only wrong color is the one that doesn’t make you love the space. Forget whether it’s on trend or if it’s the must-have color. Go for the color or combination of colors that give you those feel-good feelings when you’re in it. After all, you want a home that you love and loves you back.”