Choosing the best interior paint colors for your home can be exciting and frightening all at the same time! And since the walls and ceiling are the largest amount of design surface in your home it’s a great chance to transform spaces without major renovations. So lets talk about how to choose the best paint colors to create the rooms you love.

Taupe Dining Room Banquette

TIP# 1: CHOOSE YOUR ROOMS MOOD
What kind of mood do you want to in your room? Do you want your dining area to feel family sociable or more proper? Warmer, brighter and contrasting colors are lively and grays, blues, and neutrals will be more elegant.

How about the bedroom? Want it to  be calm or dramatic? Soft colors and cool colors (blues, green, gray, white) are usually calmer feeling and strong colors are more dramatic.

TIP #2:  LIGHTING AFFECTS PAINT COLORS
The kind of lighting you see you color in will affect the way it looks. So if the paint store has a light box test your color chips there first:
– Natural daylight shows the true color
– Incandescent lighting is yellow and makes colors look warmer
– Fluorescent lighting is blue and makes colors look cooler

See how the color changes in the dining area by the window compared to the seating area? It works beautifully here because it looks like two shades when there was actually only one that needed to be painted to give the effect.

A strong color on the other hand, might be too bright and overpowering by a large window but could be just the thing as an accent wall away from the window or on all walls in another room with indirect lighting. So don’t be disappointed if your favorite color doesn’t work where you first try it, walk around and try it in other places.

TIP #3: TEST PAINT COLORS FIRST
Once you have looked at the paint chips at home, then it’s time to test the actual paint colors. (The paint chips are made with printer’s ink and not real paint which is why they typically aren’t exact matches.)

I’m not a fan of testing on the walls because:
– The color tests can be hard to hide when painting over it later
– It only lets you to test the color in one setting instead of in various lighting conditions.

My favorite way? Use a product like SureSwatch*, an adhesive paintable clear film that is removable. You just paint two coats of paint on it, let it dry and stick on any wall/ceiling) anywhere.  So you can check it in every space you need to see how it looks with the lighting. Plus you can easily check it with any large furnishing or decor for color compatibility. (*Available at Home Depot and Amazon.)

TIP #4:  CREATING GOOD COLOR FLOW
Look at where your room opens into other rooms or spaces plan how the colors in one room will look when you see into the adjoining space.

An easy way to do this beautifully is to choose a neutral signature color for your home. Then use several accent colors in the varying amounts in the different rooms. Or if you want to keep to a neutral palette, use the same neutral  in various shades of light and dark like this space.

TIP #5: EASY WAY TO CREATE A PERFECT COLOR SCHEME

Use a fabric in the room for your color scheme inspiration. This medium gray bed cover is  perfectly complemented by the dark gray accent wall and the light gray room walls. Love it.

(Take a swatch of the fabric with you to the paint store for color reference.)

TIP #6: SECRET TO CHOOSING NEUTRAL PAINT COLORS
Neutral can be both calm or dramatic! It all depends on what neutrals, what shades  and what finishes you use.

You can make the room low-key like this one with by using light neutrals that vary subtly such as a slightly darker or lighter wall color than the sofa. Then accent with neutral fabric patterns and various textures like the metal and glass coffee table and the woven rug.

If you are more dramatic in your style you can still use neutrals by either using light and darker high contrasting neutrals. For instance painting the window trim and interior doors charcoal and the walls and ceiling a medium to light neutral walls.  Add vibrant light and dark patterned pillow on the sofa. And keep the floor light with a dark area rug.

9 Designer tips for choosing the best paint colors for creating rooms you’ll love!

Find out ways we can also help you love your home without doing any major renovations by clicking “Curated Options” and “Collaboration“. Or call Mary for a free 15 minute consultation at 760-84-1200 or by connecting online.