How to Choose Wall Colors

When it is time to repaint, chances are it is time to rethink color. And I’m including neutrals, when I say color. There’s a lot of ways to go about this. I suggest you start by:

1)  Thinking about what you do in the room, and how you want to feel in the room. This exercise will help with initial direction. Maybe it is your bedroom, and you want something calming, like a soft blue. Maybe it is your dining room and you want something stimulating, like a warm orange. This is your starting point. 

2) Next, consider what is in the room that you love, and are keeping. I’m talking about art, textiles, furniture, and lighting. Do you have a beautiful painting? Look at the accents in that painting for a color that will make it look like it is in a museum. Do you have a hand knotted rug? Look at the colors in that rug, for something that will tie the whole room together. This way you are creating a unified whole, and that is going to be a room that is both interesting to look at, and harmonious.

3) Next, take note of the direction of the room’s exposure. Is it sunny and south facing? That will make colors look brighter, so you may need to tone down your choice to compensate for all that light. Does the room face north, and not receive a lot of direct light? Then you will need to pick a color a bit more saturated, in order to brighten it up. 

4) After you have chosen a number of swatches from the paint store that you think might be great options, vet them in the room you are to paint; look at them against the other colors present in the room to make sure they look good with everything. Next, purchase large color swatches of your top colors, (or sample pots and make your own). These larger color samples will be easier to see than the tiny ones. You’ll get a more accurate read of the color in a larger swatch. Look at them next to the other colors in the room (like the couch, flooring, countertops, stonework, or art), and view them in different lighting. This critical step allows you to see the nuances in the colors that are not easy to detect in the tiny 2”x2” store samples. Once you have chosen a color you feel great about, you are ready.

5) You have done your homework, and can now paint with confidence. You have a good sense of how the color will work with everything in the room, including the light, and it’s time to schedule the painters!

Need help choosing a color? Call me!