How to Choose the Perfect Paint Colors: 8 Designer Tips

Finding the perfect paint colors for your home can be a difficult task. It doesn’t have to be though, with this guide on how to choose paint colors.

Everyone dreams of living in a space they love, somewhere that reflects personal style and taste. There are many components to creating your perfect home, but it’s undeniable that the paint you choose for the walls has a major impact.

Unfortunately, choosing paint colors can be a very overwhelming experience – after all, you have the entire spectrum to pick from.

How to Choose Paint Colors: 8 Ideas to Consider

You can’t choose your co-workers, your neighbors, or your in-laws… but you do have control over the presentation of your home. There are many aspects of your home’s presentation, but one of the most noticeable is the paint color. Because of this, it’s essential to learn how to choose paint colors that work for your style, layout, and home.

So, before you lose yourself in Home Depot and end up with nothing but a pocketful of paint chips, check out these designer pointers for choosing interior paint colors that are sure to make your home aesthetically beautiful and cozy.

1. Take Cues from Your Favorite Furniture, Decoration, and More

No idea where to begin? Zero in on your favorite home décor for clues. A vintage couch, treasured area rug, or statement lamp are all great places to start.

For example, pick a cool accent color from a patterned fabric and find matching paint to apply to the walls for a beautiful effect and minimal risk.

Another option is to head to your closet for inspiration. What are the colors you usually choose to wear? This is your comfort zone and what flatters you best… These concepts are definitely applicable to your home!

2. Go with a Gradient

Designers agree – one way to create a sense of balance and space in your home is by choosing the darkest colors for the floor, medium shades for the walls and save the lightest and brightest tones for the ceiling.

Sound familiar?

This theme mimics the gradient generally present in nature itself, ascending vertically. The ground is usually made of darker, earthier colors, then with buildings and landscapes representing medium tones, and the sky opens into lighter hues.

3. Make a Splash with Contrast – or Not

Use the color wheel for inspiration to choose paint colors.

• Combine analogous colors:  Colors next to each other on the wheel, such as blue and green – tend to invoke a more peaceful, casual feeling. Try an analogous color scheme in private areas such as the bedroom or bathroom.
• Or combine complementary: On the other hand, colors that directly oppose each other on the color wheel, such as blue and orange, are considered complementary colors. Combining these colors produces a modern, sophisticated feel, more appropriate for the living room, dining room and entryway.

It’s not necessary to go with direct shades. Try toning down this look by choosing versions in darker, earthier tones, such as burgundy and emerald, or lighter such as pale blue and marigold.

4. Don’t Box Yourself In

Can’t decide on one color for a room? Mix it up by using multiple colors. A simple and low-risk way to apply this strategy is by selecting a light color for two adjacent walls, and a bolder, more striking shade for the two adjacent walls. This will create spaciousness and depth. In general, darker colors should be applied to the outward walls, among the windows.

Another option is to use a mixture of painted walls and wallpapered walls. Retro botanical themes are an especially popular style of wallpaper right now.

5. Greyscale Chic

It’s easy to forget the basics when you’re hunting among millions of vibrant, bright colors. However, there are plenty of reasons to stick to tried and true shades of white, grey, and black. Grey is a very trendy neutral at the moment and comes in very subtle shades as well as colors that make more of a statement, such as slate and granite.

Designers also recommend adding at least a small amount of black to your color scheme, to highlight and balance out your main colors.

Furthermore, departing slightly from greyscale, consider warm tones in beige, such as oatmeal.

6. Think How the Color Affects Mood

Use the proven power of color psychology to transform the look and feel of your space.

Colors have been shown to affect our mood. Each person is different, so the effect varies slightly, but certain colors have been connected to emotions. You should choose paint colors that will positively affect your mood.

• Red gives energy and can even raise your heart rate.
• Yellow is uplifting and causes happiness, recommended for smaller spaces.
• Blue is calming and lowers blood pressure.
• Green is another restful, serene color, while purple is linked to creativity and luxury.
• Orange is another energizing color, recommended for workout rooms.

7. Testing is Key! Paint It Right On

Settled on a few colors but can’t decide? Even if you’ve already chosen a color, it’s a great idea to test it before you tape off framing and put tarp over the furniture.

We recommend painting a large swatch onto the wall to see how the color reacts to the lighting and surroundings, letting the paint sit for a few days, and gauging your feelings towards it. It might even be advisable to paint a few spots throughout the room or rooms.

While you might love how the color looks on the paint chip, the way paint appears on the wall can be an entirely different story.

8. Scale Back Your Project

Choosing colors for an entire home is a major project. Give yourself a break and start with smaller areas, such as bathrooms and hallways. This will give you a chance to play around with spaces that are less of a risk, while you become acquainted with the painting process and the impact and depth of color.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to hire an interior decorator just to find the perfect paint colors for your home. Decorating your home and selecting interior paint colors should be a fun adventure for every family, couple or individual.

Don’t get bogged down by overthinking or stressing out—one wonderful aspect of paint is that it can be changed quite easily and affordably. Remember that your home is meant to reflect you and should complement your lifestyle by providing a lovely background to the activities that take place in your home on a daily basis, as well as on special occasions.

Choose paint colors that are high quality and will make you happy every day.

Need help with your painting project? All Climate Painting and Remodeling specializes in all interior painting, from walls to wood to cabinets.