With so many colour choices available, it’s easy to get lost whilst shortlisting the best shades for your home. From blues to whites and pinks to greens, the palette of colours to choose from is vast. And your selection(s) should not only coordinate from room to room and interior to exterior, but they should also truly reflect your personality and make you happy!
With this article, we’ll give you a few key tips and tricks you can use to make the often arduous selection process smooth and seamless. So let’s get started!
Choose Decor And Furniture Pieces First
A fantastic way to shortlist colour options is by choosing decor and furniture pieces first. Even if you don’t actually purchase them, it’s a good idea to start by surfing through furniture and decor shops to get an idea of what you want.
Collect pictures from online stores of potential pieces, and proceed by looking into colours that complement your picks. Remember, it’s easier to choose a paint colour to go with your decor than finding decor to suit a specific wall colour! This is because there are endless paint colours, yet decor pieces that you love may be very specific in their colour(s), so it’s easier to find a paint colour that matches your decor than the other way around.
For example, if you pick purple bedding and a purple-and-grey piece of artwork, you could select grey for the walls to coordinate with the overall theme.
Go For The Colours & Tones You Love
It’s always a great idea to choose the colours you truly love. If you’re a fan of green, look into its various shades. For blues, you can find soft blue tones to bold, statement ones. Once you’re clear about the colour(s) you love, research its different shades to move a step closer to your final selection.
If you’re struggling to figure out the colours you love, you can always book one of our Interior Design Gurus for personalised ideas & inspiration!
Find Inspiration
If you have the time to look around you, you can find inspiration in every direction! From taking a walk in nature to skimming through your favourite home decor magazines, you can find colours that speak to your personality in a variety of ways.
Other places to look for inspiration (that are right in your hand — just a few clicks away) include retailer sites online, Pinterest or Instagram to name a few. For more ideas, check out our other blog post on where to find inspiration for your interior.
The trick is to jot down the shades you love along the way!
Be Mindful Of The Function Of The Room
In addition to the aesthetics, keep in mind the function of the room whilst picking paint colours. If you’re aiming for a spacious room, choose neutral hues, such as beige or grey. These reflect light and create an illusion of more space. If you’re looking to add a little fun energy to your space, add a bold hue such as red or yellow, whilst cool blues and subtle greens are ideal for a laid-back ambiance.
Read Up On The Psychological Impacts Of Colours
Colours can affect our moods and productivity levels, so it pays off to read about their psychological effects before making your final selection.
Muted tones of blues have a soothing impact, so choosing them for the entire room is a good option. On the other hand, bright shades, such as yellow, invoke feelings of joy. But when used in large amounts, yellow is believed to create feelings of frustration. So you’d want to add just a dash of such vibrant colours (perhaps through an accent wall only) in your space.
Likewise, pink translates to a tranquil and romantic space, purple symbolises wealth and creativity, whilst orange evokes enthusiasm.
Test Them Out In Situ
Once you’ve shortlisted your preferences, it’s time to choose the final shade — and the process should be based on actually observing the colours on the wall. Purchase tester paints of the colours you’ve chosen and paint large patches on different walls of the room(s). Observe the paint under different light conditions, such as during the night and in bright daylight.
Also keep in mind that colours look different in small patches when compared to entire walls. For example, light grey in a small patch may seem darker when applied to the whole wall. So, you’d want to test paint a maximal amount of space — perhaps even a whole wall — to get an accurate idea.
Additionally, paint a small poster board with the colours and place them against different furniture pieces and fabrics to see the contrast created. This is when you’ll be able to tell the shade you’ll love the most!
If you’re stuck between two shades and need a tie-breaker, our Interior Design Gurus can come to the rescue! They can look at your space, understand your needs and preferences, and help pick the best option for you.
Accent Walls — Deciding If They’re Right For You
Accent walls have different colours, shades, or designs from the rest of the room. For example, you could opt for red wall to act as the focal point in an otherwise neutral room.
Accent walls are ideal for people wishing to make a statement. If you decide to create one in your space, choose a colour that stands out. Bold hues are typically used, though subtle tones are equally elegant. Also make sure the decor used against the wall complements the colour chosen.
Final Words
Choosing paint colour isn’t as easy as it seems — it’s easy to lose yourself in a whirlwind of thousands of colours. Following the simple guidelines in this blog post, you can choose colours for each room appropriate to their function(s) and compatible with the decor!
If you feel stuck and need an expert eye to help you identify a paint colour that you can be confident about, just book one of our Interior Design Gurus here! They can look at your space, understand your needs and preferences, and help pick the best paint colour for you.