Summer is a favorite time to break out the paintbrushes and give your home a new look.
Choosing the colors for your project can be testing if you’re not super-confident with paints.
The colors you select for your home will affect your mood and relationship with your home, so choosing the right shades is far from a frivolous task.
Finding inspiration from the internet, magazines and also catalogs produced by the paint companies is a great approach, but you can never be sure their color schemes will work with your furnishings and floor coverings.
This short list of tips may prove helpful when choosing the right palette for your home.
Avoid trends
Using fashionable colors risks dating your home. Classic colors and palettes will ensure you won’t feel obliged to repaint your home every few years. You can also lose your love for a trendy color when the fashionista caravan has moved on.
Your favorites
Don’t be afraid to consider the colors that you love. Perhaps you are inspired by the yellows and blues of the beach, or the color scheme of a favorite destination, such as a hotel or restaurant.
Lighting
Assess the amount of natural light that comes into your home. Going to a paint retailer and judging a color under bright fluoros is OK, but it will likely look different in a darker environment.
Swatch watch
Buy small pots of sample paint and brush on small swatches or patches on the wall. A square measure 2ftx2ft would be sufficient. Leave it there for a couple of days and make an assessment. Notice how the color changes through the day because of the light coming into the room.
Comparison tests
You can paint multiple swatches of different colors on the walls. But avoid painting them directly next to each other, as you may focus on the contrast of the two hues rather than their individual impact on the room.
Be consistent
You don’t have to paint every room the same color, but avoid choosing too many colors. You want consistency and flow throughout your home, and multiple colors will make it feel disjointed.
Light equals space
You’ll find that light colors make rooms feel larger, which is why many agents say neutral colors work best when selling. Dark colors close in a room. However, deeper colors can work in a small room, such as a study, if it receives sufficient natural light.
Still uncertain
If you’re really stuck, then it’s best to choose neutrals, such as warm whites and creams. The occasional accent wall of green or blue can add visual impact in a living area or large bedroom.