With so many paint colors to choose from, who can decide on just one? There are many factors that go into choosing a color, but you can find your ideal color by following a few guidelines. If you are really struggling to find the perfect color, you may want to call for professional help from an interior designer.
Before you even visit the paint store, decide what mood you want the room to convey. Romantic? Vivacious? Relaxing? Saturated warm colors tend to be more energetic, while cool muted colors are calming and refreshing. If you are purchasing new furnishings or rugs, you probably want to have those selected before you paint. You don’t want to fall in love with a fabric and not be able to use it because it doesn’t match the paint color! Having the major pieces in place and knowing the mood of the room will help narrow down your selection.
Once you know what direction the room is taking, you may look on a Pinterest board or flip through a magazine to get some inspiration. While that is a great place to start, you still want to test the color in your room. You may discover that a soothing warm gray you saw at a friend’s house turns a yucky brown when you try it in your own home. Due to variations in lighting and the orientation of your house, colors can vary greatly even from room to room in the same house. This is why we recommend painting a large sample board to leave up for several days. Sampling is a good investment of time and money; it is much less costly than repainting! You will notice a difference from morning to evening and when it’s sunny versus cloudy. If there’s not much natural light in the space, you may want to try switching out light bulbs. CFL bulbs can bring out unwanted undertones that you may not notice with incandescent bulbs or LEDs. This is especially true with neutral colors which can have undertones of pink, blue, purple, or green.
We have an arsenal of our favorite colors that we like to try. Maison Blanche by Sherwin Williams is a warm beige that’s not too light. White Ice by Benjamin Moore has just a touch of soothing blue that works great for a bathroom. Windfresh White by Sherwin Williams is a lovely neutral that looks great in almost any room.
If you’re considering painting, just remember to give yourself time. You may want to have it narrowed down to only a few options before you even contact a painter to avoid having to make a pressured decision. If you need professional advice, we are here to help!
