Determining the color of the rooms in your home is such an important decision that it’s worth the stress to make sure you get it right the first time. Right?
Not at all.
While you shouldn’t set out to do the same renovation task over and over again, it’s just a coat of paint. So, if you need to, it’s not that major.
However, here are a few tips to help you get it right the first time:
Ease Into It
Not sure which paint colors you are particularly fond of? Or maybe you’re not sure which colors will suit your home’s design style. Before you dive in and potentially paint a central room like the living room a color you don’t like, ease into the commitment.
Start with a smaller room or space. This approach has many benefits. Among them include the fact that smaller spaces typically receive less traffic, which means you get to see how you like a color choice without too much input from outsiders. Another benefit to starting off with a smaller space is that it will be less time-consuming and less expensive to repaint if it turns out that you don’t like the outcome.
How Do You Feel (Or Want To Feel) In That Space?
Our color choices directly affect our moods. So, a good way to choose a paint color is to determine how you want to feel as you spend time in that space.
Select colors that make you feel calm and tranquil for spaces like your bedroom and bathroom. Colors that are high-energy should be reserved for common gathering areas such as kitchens, living rooms and dining rooms.
Contrary to what children may beg for their rooms to look like, selecting color schemes that are riddled with bright, rich colors can actually work against you.
Consider the Lighting
The amount and the type of lighting a room has plays a significant role in the colors you should pick for it. Darker paint colors have a tendency to make a room feel smaller and more closed-in. Whereas, lighter colors help to make a room feel more open and airy.
So, if the room in consideration is relatively large and has a large number of windows that provide natural light, then it is a safer bet to go with darker, more vibrant colors. It’s usually ideal to steer toward the lighter colors for small, confined spaces like powder rooms and bathrooms.
While there are exceptions, it’s best to adhere to this rule of thumb in the beginning until you can get a feel for what you like.
Consider the Finish
The finish of the paint is almost as important as the paint color itself. Paint finishes range from completely flat to a high gloss. Simply saying you want a room to be Robin Egg Blue won’t give you an accurate idea of what the finished room would look like if you’re unclear on what finish you prefer (or is most ideal for the space).
To get a clearer picture of what the varying finishes look like, head down to your local home improvement store to take a look at the posted swatches of the same color in a variety of finishes (similar to this image).
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Because you’re determining the design of a place where you’re going to spend a significant amount of your life, it’s important that you pick colors that are interesting and suit your mood.
But don’t feel like you’re trapped into your decision. The beautiful thing is that it is just paint. Easy to cover and easy to re-do.