How to Choose Paint Colors
You've committed to the task. Now it's just a matter of committing to color choice, and it's here that even some of the best decorators get hung up, given the multitude of shades available. If you're at a loss as to how to choose paint colors appropriate to both your space and taste, the following steps will help you clear the hurdle.
1. Think about the overall "feel" you want for the room. Will it be cheery? Elegant? Spicy? Breezy? Business-like? A combination? Write down some descriptive words or phrases, along with various colors you associate with these moods.
2. Make note of any major pieces you won't be changing, such as furniture, cabinets, countertops, etc. Envision how the colors you wrote in Step 1, and their variations, might complement, balance, or clash with these items. Generally you'll want shades that do provide some contrast in terms of light and dark, but with similar undertones.
3. Armed with your ideas and notes from the previous steps, pick up some color-swatch cards at the store. Take your time, and take as many as you want; they're free, and that's what they're there for. You may even catch sight of a new shade you hadn't considered before -- and it may be love at first sight.
4. Back at home with the cards, hold each sample up to the wall, at various points in the room. Do this both at day and at night, with the lighting that will be used in your space. Though it's often difficult to envision an entire room based only on the small card, stretch your imagination and hang in there until you've whittled it down to a single choice, or a few choices at most.
5. Purchase your choice(s) in the smallest size available -- often a quart can, although many stores offer samples between 2-8 ounces -- so that you can first paint a section of your wall before investing in gallons. This not only allows you to get a better idea of how the entire room will look, but also to gauge how many coats you'll need and whether or not you'll need primer.
6. After painting a portion of wall and viewing it in the day and evening, you should now be ready to commit to a selection. If not, you're at least in a better position to determine why. Is it the color itself that's not clicking? The undertone? The vibrancy? If needed, repeat Step 5 with new choices, and be thankful you were smart enough to run the wall-test first.
Knowing how to choose paint colors isn't an exact science; it's a learned art that improves with practice. By training your mind's eye to visualize the possibilities, you'll be able to pick your favorite -- and carry it through to a winning finish.
