In a world of infinite paint color possibilities, how do you choose the best for your space?
Seems like a daunting job but with a little ‘paint know how’ personalizing your walls with color can be a fun project, and may even tap into a creative side you never knew you had!
Look around your home. You may not realize but it is probably filled with a color or two of similar shades. A red pillow in your living room and a red cookie jar in the kitchen. The greens and blues in your comforter are in your family room rug.
These colors that may thread through your home (and very often your clothing too!) are your ‘comfort colors’. You are drawn to them, they make you happy, they are you.
Use these colors as a base or starting point when choosing paint colors and go from there. If you’re drawn to vibrant colors such as teals, terracottas, reds, or purples, but have them in your furnishings, pick a neutral for your walls to ground them. Taupes are very popular because you can go towards the greys or the browns but still have that organic ‘stone’ color on your walls that isn’t your typical beige that so many are use to because it’s safe. These taupey shades are perfect for large spaces too, like foyers, halls, and large family rooms.
Want some color? Powder rooms are a fun space to add a vibrant color you just love but are skittish to put in a large space. If your dining room has chair rail add a splashy color under the chair rail but keep a neutral color over the chair rail. This way the walls won’t compete with artwork or window coverings.
Let’s not forget about the 5th wall… Your ceilings! I love to add color to ceilings especially if there is crown molding in the room. Be daring by painting a neutral on the walls and an accent color on the ceiling. Yes…this accent color can be one of your comfort colors. If you love navy put it on your ceiling. You probably already have blue pillows in your living room. Adding a color to the ceiling whether it’s an accent or a neutral will better show off your moldings too!
Now let’s talk trim and doors. As a rule trim and doors should be painted the same color. The most popular trim color is still white but not all whites are created equal! There are many many shades of whites. From bright whites to creams to antique whites. There are ‘trim colors’ that have a tint of grey, or yellow, or even pink.
So be careful when choosing the right trim color for your space.
Like wall color, these trim colors can ‘change’ during the day depending on natural light and lamp lighting. I always recommend getting samples of your desired wall and trim color and put it up in the room. Look at it morning, noon, and night. You’ll be amazed how one color can look so different at various times of the day.
Painting is the least expensive way to make a dramatic change to any space. But if the wrong shade is chosen a ‘do over’ is the only way to rectify it. So be careful with your selections but most of all have fun transforming your space with just a can of paint.
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