Beginning a painting project in your home can seem overwhelming at first, especially if you are unsure of what color you want. Choosing the right paint color can feel like a lot of pressure—you don’t want to choose a color and end up painting the entire room only to hate it! So how can you make sure you are choosing a color you will love? Here are some tips we’ve put together that should help you get started.
First, decide where you want the attention to go in the room. Is it the fireplace? A piece of art on the wall? Your favorite rug or furniture? After you have decided what the focal point will be, then begin to think about color. Most paint brands have a really helpful tool that will allow you to take a picture of something and find the right shade of paint to complement it. Match-A-Color from Glidden or Color Snap from Sherman Williams are just two examples of this. We suggest sticking with neutral colors, unless you want the attention grabber to be the walls. If that is the case, definitely choose a bold color!
It can be helpful to know that cool colors (greens, purples, blues) are soothing and have the ability to make a small room feel larger. Painting with warmer colors (yellows, oranges, and reds) will bring more vibrancy into a space.
Before you make your final decision, we suggest buying small test cans of the paints you are interested in. Take them home and paint a large section of your wall with them and observe over a period of a few days at least. Make sure you look at the selections during different times of day, as the light will change the appearance of the paint.
After you’ve chosen your color, don’t forget about the finish! If you have little kids or want walls that will be easy to clean, we suggest going with a satin or glossy finish. For lower traffic areas or ceilings, a flat or matte would be great.