Painting walls can be quite a lot of work and quite a lot of money, so you want to make sure to pick just the right color.
Most people are concerned that the paint color they pick might be too bright, too boring, or change colors in different lighting.
Luckily, there are some techniques to help pick a paint color with confidence.
Here are some interior designer tips & tricks to aid you in selecting the perfect paint color to complement your decor.
photo courtesy of Leon Brocard flickr.com/photos/acme/5761168322/Select Paint After Your Decor
There is basically an unlimited selection of paint colors to choose from (since most paint stores can color match objects), so select your room decor first, then select a paint color to coordinate with your decor.
After your room decor has been selected, look at photos of other rooms of a similar style and color to see what wall colors you like. Pinterest is a good place to look at photos and save them to reference at a later time.
Decide on a general color idea for the walls of your room - perhaps creamy white, buttery yellow, navy blue, or sage green.
Lots of Swatches
When selecting a paint color, get lots of paint swatches to bring home and try in your room.
Most stores that sell paint have free paint color swatches, so don't be afraid to get 20 or more in the color range that you have decided.
Feel free to bring a fabric sample, pillow, or other decor item with you to the store to see the paint colors adjacent to that item.
Stay focused and don't get distracted by other colors.
The lighting in a store is much different than the lighting in your home, so make sure to get some colors that are lighter than what you think you want, some that are darker, some that are more gray, some that are less gray, and all variations that might possibly work.
Some stores have light boxes where you can place the color swatch in the box to see how it will look in different lighting conditions.
Attach Swatches to Wall
Using painter's tape or masking tape, attach all of the paint color swatches that you have selected to your wall to see how they look.
Look at the swatches at least 5 feet away so you can see the paint sample and your decor at the same time.
Take a seat and really study them.
Move them around the room to different areas to see how you like them there.
Put them in bright areas and areas where there are shadows.
Look at the paint samples several times throughout the day since the color of light coming through your windows changes during the day and can alter the way paint colors appear.
If you have a day that is all sunshine, then make sure to wait for a day with more clouds to see how the paint colors look in that light also.
Look at the paint swatches with your interior lights turned on and also with them turned off. If you have light bulbs of different color temperatures in your room, you should consider changing them all to the same color temperature so your paint color will look more consistent throughout the room. You might want to invest in smart light bulbs #ad that can change from cool white to soft white to warm white for you to get the perfect color temperture.
Remove the Ones You Dislike
You will probably have many choices and not know which is best.
Don't try to pick your favorite. Instead, start by eliminating the ones that you do not like.
Start by sitting down at least 5 foot away from your wall with the paint samples.
One by one, go to the wall (include anyone else who is interested) and take down your least favorite paint sample. Just one, then go sit down again and study your paint samples again.
Keep repeating this process until you are left with just one sample.
If you are left with just a few and still do not know which one is best, invite friends, neighbors, and family over to get their opinion and they will usually guide you towards the best paint color.
You can also purchase small paint testers to bring home and paint a small section of your wall to help you select the best color. Make sure to paint near your trim so you can see how the colors relate.
Another option is to also buy one piece of board (foam board, cardboard, art board, plywood, matboard, etc) per each of the paint samples that you like best and paint each board with your sample. That way, you can move the boards around the room.
Lighter and Darker but the Same Color
Many paint colors can be seen on a paint color strip showing the same color with different values (lighter or darker versions of the same color). A lighter value has white added (a tint) and a darker value has black added (a shade).
If you want to paint any alcoves, niches, or the back wall of your bookcases a different value (either lighter or darker) of the same paint color, select a tint 2 or more levels lighter or a shade 2 or more levels darker to be your accent color on the same color strip as your wall color.
The accent color is often unnoticeable if you only select 1 level lighter or darker.
Ceilings
Don't forget to paint your ceiling, especially if you have crown molding, to make your home look more finished and to accentuate your crown molding.
A color with a much lighter value than the color of your walls (nearly white) would be nice.
You can even get white ceiling paint and mix in some of your wall paint to give it a touch of color.
Chocolate brown, black, or metallic ceilings can be very dramatic.
In most cases, you can paint your air vents on the ceiling to hide them a bit, but do not paint your smoke detectors else they might not work properly.
Paint Sheen
Make sure to select the best paint sheen for your home.
Shiny paints are typically more durable while matte colors hide imperfections in your walls better.
A satin or eggshell finish is suggested for walls in homes with pets or children and in bathrooms and kitchens because it is pretty durable but not too shiny.
Flat or matte paint is suggested for ceilings or in homes with little traffic because it hides imperfections in the drywall and has a suede-like appearance.
