How to Choose a Paint Color
Category: Interior Decorating Blog
Posted/Updated: 04/05/2010 22:44:52
Views: 5469
For homeowners who are just beginning to decorate their first home, choosing the right paint color for the wall can be overwhelming. The good news is that there are general principles about wall color. Once you learn those and apply them to the first few rooms of your home, choosing the right paint color becomes easy.
- NEVER CHOOSE A PAINT COLOR FIRST. Why? It is because it limits your possible designs. Companies like Behr, Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Glidden, Ralph Lauren and others offer tens of thousands of different paint colors combined. Thus, it is easier to pick out a paint color after you have your other design elements ready as opposed to the other way around.
- GET THE MAIN THREE PIECES FIRST. Curtains and rugs are the most difficult finds, so get those first, along with any upholstered furniture or design pieces that will be the focal point first. Remember, start with things that are hard to find.
- DECIDE ON A THEME AND COLOR SCHEME AND STICK WITH THEM. Choose two or three colors that you want in your room and stick with them. Believe it or not, but this is the main reason why everybody loves those designer rooms in magazines. You have to pick a theme and choose colors that will repeat all over the room to represent that theme.
For example, you may have decided to create a master bathroom that resembles a contemporary spa, so you choose aqua blue and pale olive as your main colors. This is a simple, contemporary look. It has no room for elaborate floral designs in pink and red or rich contrasts of black and gold. The hardware should be contemporary and add to your color scheme without overpowering it.
- ACHIEVE A COHERENT LOOK BY MAKING SURE YOUR DESIGN ELEMENTS FLOW AND ARE RELATED. Being coherent and sticking to your theme and colors is very important. In the end, everything has to come together. One easy way to ensure that you are following your color scheme is to connect your main pieces and make sure that they "flow" together. Look at the colors in your curtain. Pick a color and make sure that it is also in your rug. Pick another color and look for it in your upholstered furniture, ceramic tiles and accessories. Then take a look at all your pieces and ask yourself, "Do they go together?" Do not look at everything in too much detail; colors do not have to match exactly, but they must be similar and go together. Take a look at your theme. Contemporary designs are simple and feature neutral, clean elements. Romantic designs feature pastel colors and feminine fabrics. Separately, both designs create stunning rooms, but randomly put together, they do not give a coherently designed room.
Why this dining room design works -
The rug is the main inspiration here. The red floral accents from the rug are picked up and used in the wall paint. Also, the tan background of the rug is repeated in the silk curtains and table runner.
Why this country breakfast nook design works -
Both the valance and rug feature three colors - red, beige and green. All it took to complete the room was to select beige for the wall color and green for the chair cushions. Finally, the plaid fabric in the
valance incorporates all three colors and makes the room more coherent.
In essence, it does not matter what you start out with. The idea is to make a simple color scheme and stick with it. It does not matter how expensive or unique your design pieces are. You could have the most unique sofa, the most expensive rug, the most famous paintings, or anything else that is extraordinary, for that matter, but if your room design is not coherent, it will not be a well-designed room.
Remember - choose a theme, two to three colors to represent it and simply stick with it.
Comments on How to Choose a Paint Color
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Patricia
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03/15/2011 00:03:21
I agree that you should choose the paint last. I have learned this lesson the hard way. Now I buy all the upholstery first and THEN buy the paint.
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