Hello friends and welcome back for another post in my Interior Decor and Styling Series. Today I am discussing how to choose the right paint color for your walls. I think this is something all homeowners struggle with, (even the most seasoned interior decorators!)When it comes to choosing wall colors, many people are afraid to choose bright or strong colors because they’re worried that they’ll end up with paint they can’t live with for long. Others are willing to take a chance on a bold or distinctive color because they understand that the right color, incorporated carefully into the right decorating scheme, can complete transform the atmosphere of a room.
If you have been wanting to experiment with color but have been afraid to take the color plunge, it’s much easier than you think! Even if you love the neutral world of beiges, creams, grays, and ivories, you can still explore new horizons of adding a vivid color in a room or just painting an accent wall by using some simple tips to make the process easier.
Take a Closer Look at Your Decor
Many homeowners hesitate to choose intense colors for their walls because they’re afraid those colors would clash with their existing home decor, and that’s not an unwarranted concern. Choosing colorful house paint for your interior walls with no regard for whether it will clash or complement your decor could end in visual disaster. So, before you head to the home store to look at samples and sample strips, take a close look at your home decor.
There are so many places in your existing home decor where you could find inspiration for your new wall colors. Look to the print fabrics of throw pillows, curtains, table linens, and bedding for color inspiration. Consider the color schemes in your favorite arts and crafts, and choose colors that go with your aesthetic.
For example, historical paint colors can be perfect for a room appointed in antiques, while blues and sandy beiges are great choice rooms decorated in a beach theme.
Consider whether you want your rooms to feel warmer and more vibrant with a warm color, or more soothing and calm, with a cool color. Do you want light shades that will open up the space and make it feel airier, or dark colors that will make the room feel cozier and moody? The choice is yours!
Return to Color Theory
When choosing a color scheme for your interior walls, remember what you learned in art about colors. For a quick refresher, grab a color wheel that explains whether colors are complementary or analogous.
Complementary colors, or the ones that are across from each other on the color wheel, look good together because of the way they offset one another. This is somewhat due to how the photoreceptors in our eyes work. Analogous colors, which are next to each other on the color wheel, can be combined to create rich monochromatic color schemes.
Green is my favorite color, so I just love this gorgeous room!
Sample Paint Colors First
Once you have an eye of what colors you want to try, head to the paint store and get some sample strips. Even if you’re still not sure of which exact colors you want to use in each room, you can use sample strips to choose different shades of the colors you’re interested in. Today some stores offer large peel and stick samples that you can stick to your wall.
Grab several paint samples and put them up on the walls. Examine the samples carefully in all kinds of light conditions. If you’ve found a color that’s close, but not quite there, you can ask the paint store to mix it a few degrees darker or lighter.
Download a Paint Color App
These days, you don’t have to pull the trigger on painting your entire room in order to see what it might look like with a brand new color. With modern technology you can use a paint color app to virtually paint your walls before committing to a color! The results may vary somewhat from app to app, so you may even want to use more than one.
Choosing paint colors for your interior can be daunting, but if you use the tips shared here today you will have a better chance of picking the right paint. If you just want to add a bit of color to your home, accent walls are back on trend in decor, so play around and have some fun with color without making a big commitment.
Remember the choosing a wall color doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start by taking a close look at the home decor elements you already have and love, then use color theory, paint samples, or a paint color app to make your final choices.
I am a lover of neutral walls and prefer to bring my color in through textiles and decorative accessories, but I have been considering an accent wall or adding a new color to the walls in our family room. What are your thoughts on colorful walls? Do you have lots of color in your home? I love hearing from you, dear readers!
Thanks for visiting!
Amber
No Comments