Being brave with paint color

Interior paint color is one of the most dramatic and inexpensive ways to set the tone of a room. It seems to me that so often people are afraid of color, and as a result tend towards a variation of white, believing that this will make the space 'feel bigger'. Actually, although a lighter color will reflect more light and make a room 'bright' it will reduce the visual size of the space. Richer, darker colors will add volume to a room. What happens is that with darker tones the eye cannot discern the actual perimeter of the wall. Also, a stronger color can blend more subtly with the exterior views, blending inside with out. This gives a room more visual volume. However, a darker color will absorb more light, so this must be accounted for with extra lighting--but this is another story for another time!