Why sure I can, but in the meantime, here are some of my tips, tricks, rules & suggestions.

How to choose paint colors….Ughhhh there are so many, how does one choose the right color when there are so many options?

Having options is a good thing, however with too many options choosing the right one can be overwhelming and create so much anxiety. We’ve all picked out that color we thought was amazing and then got so excited and rushed to paint it on the wall and shrieked in horror. Nobody wants to experience that again right? So let’s get down to the rules, dos and don’ts and my recommendations for choosing the right paint.

Rule number 1 – Research – Get knowledgeable

Take the time and do your research first, talk to the experts the interior designers, home improvement salesperson and paint specialists about various color schemes for the look you want.

Use the tools of the almighty internet! Many paint brands have such great helpful FREE tools to get you started in the right direction. Sherwin Williams has “color snap visualizer”, where you can find color collections like the Unwind collection.  My new favorite right now. Unwind is a mix of soft neutrals that complement each other and evoke a feeling of serenity, airiness and calm. SW also has a super fun and creative way to inspire your color choice, it’s called “Color Snap”. Try it out! I think you’ll like this one. Behr paint has a “paint your place” feature on their website in which you can upload a photo and try on different colors in your room. This is just one example of utilizing tools you can find free on the internet.

Rule number 2 – Try before you buy – Test paint samples

Don’t go to the home improvement store, pick out the swatch and then immediately put it in the can and bring it him. I know you’re excited to get started, I get it, but stop and simmer down. Take some time to find out what it might look like in your space. Plus the lighting in those home improvement stores are never right and the blaring glare of neon and florescent make the color sometimes unrecognizable.

Get the sample swatches and bring them home. However sometimes those swatches are so small it’s hard to really visualize how it will look. I recommend that you either purchase small pint size sample cans of paint or a larger 10×10 paint sample square if available in the brand you’re looking for. Once you get those samples, go ahead and get your excitement on and paint a 10×10 square on the walls you’re wanting to paint. Apply that 2^nd coat so that you can see the true color and not left over hue from the previous paint on the wall. Let it dry and give it a day, then see it in the day time light and night time with artificial light. If you don’t love it, no worries all you painted was a square and you’re going to paint the whole room anyways. Find the shade you love before going all Picaso on it.

Which brings me to the next Rule

Rule 3- Shine a light on it. – Look at the lighting in your room.

Some things to think about when choosing paint colors is how the lighting in the room will affect the shade, feel, and ambiance of the color.

There are two things that can affect paint color, natural and artificial light.

Natural lighting is awesome and the sun is wonderful but our rooms don’t always let that good stuff in. Things to consider is what direction your room and/or space is facing. A room that is north facing will let in soft light creating warmth. What the heck does that mean you ask? Well here it is, dark paints will look darker and light paints will be dimmer.  Conversely south facing light exposure will have more intense light exposure making dark colors appear bright and light colors look washed out or muted. West side receives the warmer light but gives shadows in the morning, and east exposure will be bright before noon and cooler in the evening.

Luckily Thomas Edison and the like were geniuses and invented the light bulb. Artificial light now allows us the opportunity to enjoy beautiful colors even when it’s dark outside. Artificial lighting these days has surpassed Edison and there are so many options to choose from. Options yet again can be overwhelming, but here’s the breakdown peeps. Let’s keep it simple and talk about 3 different types of artificial lighting. 1-florescent 2-vintage “Edison” bulbs 3-soft white incandescent & LED.  

Incandescent or LED bulbs supply warmer natural lighting. Bright colors will manifest more intensely and cooler paints will appear a bit duller.

Florescent lights give off cooler light and can emit shades of blue.

“Edison” bulbs give warmer light to a space and can even create an amber or yellow hue to a room.

Now I am not a lighting expert and won’t even begin to explain what Kelvin is, and no he’s not my husband, although Kevin does give off some pretty good electricity & warmth. There is more to color choice and lighting when referring to the types of bulbs you choose, soft white, warm white, neutral white, cool white, and daylight…. Oh my! Play around at the home improvement store, turn the switches on and off and see how the surrounding colors are affected.

The position of your light can also play a role in how your paint color appears. Chandeliers distribute a lot of light throughout the room whereas table and floor lamps restrict the light to certain areas and tend to create more warmth.

Now that we’ve shined a light on things. Here is the final and probably most important when choosing the right paint color.

Rule 4 – Colors, colors and more colors – Find the emotion – Color wheel & psychology

Color, color and more colors…. So many options right, but I’ll start simple. Let’s start with the color wheel. Yes we all at one point in our childhood learned the basics of the color wheel, but if you like me and need a reminder, here you are!

The primary colors are – red, yellow and blue. These are on the color wheel at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 respectively. Combining any of these will give you a secondary color (i.e. purple, orange, green). Colors near each other on the color wheel such as blue and purple are analogous to each other and will allow one color to stand out more. Colors opposite each other on the color wheel such as green and red are complementary to one another and will play nicely off each other. Staying within the same shade of color light blues, beige, and greys for example will give you a subtle calming look. Painting with cool colors such as blues, and purples makes small rooms appear larger and more airy while colors such as reds, yellows and oranges will give a room a more vibrant appearance, but can also make a room feel smaller. You can vary the warmth even with a red or yellow by choosing muted shades of those colors such as coral, pink, peach and apricot. Warm colors have cool ones as their complementary colors while cool colors have warm complements for example. Shades are either pure or vibrant, muted (which are less intense than their vibrant counterparts) or shaded (the darker colors in the same color scheme). 

Well that was a mouth full of art.

I find that color collections and color schemes are where you will find the best explanation of what colors will fit best with your vision for that space. My favorite is the Sherwin Williams collections. For example the Living Well Collection was chosen by the professionals to create and inviting sense of comfort and well-being. Within that Living well collection you will find a slew of feelings that within those categories are the colors that when used reflect and create that emotion and feeling. The focus collection is an inspiring mix of cool greys and marine hues that summon your inner motivation yet are still calming and motivational. These schemes and collections are my go to when helping clients narrow down a style and color combination.

Colors can evoke a feeling and mood.  Knowing what mood you want in that room can help narrow down your choices. What feeling do you want in your room/space? Do you want it to feel serene and peaceful & relaxed, cheerful and uplifting, bold & romantic, versatile & comfortable and/or inviting and friendly? These are all awesome emotions and the overall goal for your space must be factored in, in order to find the right shade of color for your walls.

Your style also is a reflection of your space and can be enhanced or an epic fail if the wrong color is chosen. Figure out your style or what you’re drawn to. Get out there on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, paint manufactures website and all the lovely pictures you find in those home and garden magazines. Find those images and styles and get inspired. Find your style, is it casual, modern/contemporary, classic, eclectic, country cottage, farmhouse and/or bohemian or a combination. Start making your own mood or inspiration board, cut out pictures, take pictures and stimulate those creative juices I know you all have within you!

Those are my tips, rules, recommendations, commentary and jokes for choosing the right paint color. Still intimidated? I can help! Color is my muse and it would be my pleasure to help you chose the perfect shade for your place. Click the contact me to be added to my email list & get access to my FREE newsletters. Contact me and fill out the design questionnaire if you so inclined and I will be sure to get in touch with you, or you can email me and we can become BFF’s with a mutual love of all things color.