For some picking the right paint color for their home comes naturally but for most people it’s a difficult decision that can create a bit of anxiety. Painting your walls will make a huge difference in the way the room is perceived and picking a wrong color can leave you with a bad feeling. Use these tips to make sure you select a color that looks great in your room and leaves you feeling proud of your paint choice.
Look Around
You want to select a wall color that works with your permanent furnishings or the new furnishings you’re going to purchase. This doesn’t mean it has to match exactly or the color has to be represented in the furnishings but they do have to look good together. Do some comparisons and ask around to see what colors most people respond to best.
Determine Your Style
It doesn’t matter if the current trend is a blank white wall or a saturated red accent wall the trend may not suit your personality and your style. You have to decide if you are someone who loves color and wants to go with a statement color or if you’re someone who is more subdued and wants a color that makes the wall look finished but doesn’t draw attention to itself.
Sample Colors
Don’t simply rely on the little color squares in a paint store to select your colors, treat these as a starting point rather than the end. It’s hard for nonprofessionals to envision a wall color by looking at a one inch square blob of paint so narrow your choices down to a few and then purchase a small sample pot of each color.
Paint Boards
A little professional trick will help you determine which of your final colors looks best. Don’t paint large swaths of color on the wall, lined up next to each other and try to make a decision that way. The existing wall color will come into play, the colors next to each other will affect the properties of each color. Instead, paint a whole piece of tag board with each color and then hold them up one at a time on the wall to see which one you like best. Try this throughout the day so you can see how it looks under different lighting conditions.
And remember, paint is not permanent and it’s actually not that expensive so if you hate the color you can always paint over it. Be bold and confident and feel good that your choice will match your furnishings, look great in any lighting situation, and reflect your personality.
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