Colour Your World, Choosing the Perfect Paint Colour

Colour Your World
Some tips for choosing the perfect paint colour
By Heather Cameron

You’re in the middle of painting a room when you realize something isn’t quite right. That lovely cheery yellow paint that you fell in love with on the paint chip has morphed into a fluorescent glow. Or perhaps you’ve painted your walls a great colour but when you move your furniture into the space you realise that your furniture and paint are not quite working together.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing paint is that you need to see beyond the wall colour. You have to think about what particular colours mean to you and how they relate to everything in your room. Thus choosing a good paint colour starts with good planning.

The first thing you want to consider in your plan is the mood of the room. Are you looking for modern minimalism, comfortable contemporary or cozy cottage? Flip through decorating magazines and tear out the pages that illustrate the look you are going for.

Think of it — there are thousands of paint colours out there to choose from, so why spend hours on end trying to find the perfect armchair to match your wall colour? Instead, once you have determined your mood, find a good jumping-off point in fabrics, furniture or artwork. After all, someone has already gone to the work of figuring out what colours make that framed print or toss pillow look so good, so why not adopt the same colour approach?

Once you have found your jumping-off point, gather up some paint samples that enhance the fabric, furniture or artwork you love. Keep in mind that the colour of paint samples in the store can appear quite different when you see them in your home. If you have a small jumping-off piece — such as a pillow — bring it right into the paint store with you. This will ensure that you end up bringing home the best assortment of paint samples possible. Once you are feeling good about a particular colour, find out if the store sells larger-sized samples. If you are instead using a sample of the paint from a test pot, it is suggested you paint two coats on a large piece of poster board. Move your sample around the room to see how it looks in different lights. And don’t just hold it up on the wall. Slip your tester board or sample on the wall behind the upper edge of your furniture so you can see how they look together. Take your time — it’s much easier to make a change in paint samples than it is to repaint a room.

Light plays a huge factor in your paint choice. A paint colour that is perfect for your room during the day can take on a very different look at night. Thinking of changing up your ceiling fixture or lamps? Do it before you start sampling the paints as different lighting will affect the look of your paint colour.

It’s not called a paint chip for nothing. It is just a small example of what will end up going on a much larger space. And a whole wall of paint will look darker than that sample of paint on the chip, so keep that in mind when choosing especially dark or intense paint colours.

White is often the choice for ceilings and trim but be sure to be as careful choosing your whites as your colours. Even whites can be warm or cool. A warm white — rather than a cool one — is less jarring against a warm wall colour and vice versa. Can’t tell the difference in your whites? Take a handful of different white paint chips and compare them against each other and you will start to see the difference between them. Want to avoid a stark white ceiling? Dilute your ceiling paint with some of your wall colour to create a more subtle connection between your walls and ceiling.

Paint is one of the least expensive ways to completely alter a room — so why not make sure you get it just right by doing a little planning before you pick up a brush?

Heather Cameron operates Edited Interiors, an Ottawa-area business that offers professional organizing, home staging, and interior decorating/redecorating services. You can contact her at 613 831-6398 or visit www.editedinteriors.com.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of Due West/Due East magazine, a publication of Coyle Publishing Inc.


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	Colour Your World Some tips for choosing the perfect paint colour By Heather Cameron You’re in the middle of painting a room when you realize something isn’t quite right. That lovely cheery yellow paint that you fell in love with on the paint chip has morphed into a fluorescent glow. Or perhaps you’ve painted your walls a great colour but when you move your furniture into the space you realise that your furniture and paint are not quite working together. One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing paint is that you need to see beyond the wall colour. You have to think about what particular colours mean to you and how they relate to everything in your room. Thus choosing a good paint colour starts with good planning. In the mood The first thing you want to consider in your plan is the mood of the room. Are you looking for modern minimalism, comfortable contemporary or cozy cottage? Flip through decorating magazines and tear out the pages that illustrate the look you are going for. Find a jumping-off point Think of it — there are thousands of paint colours out there to choose from, so why spend hours on end trying to find the perfect armchair to match your wall colour? Instead, once you have determined your mood, find a good jumping-off point in fabrics, furniture or artwork. After all, someone has already gone to the work of figuring out what colours make that framed print or toss pillow look so good, so why not adopt the same colour approach? Sampling keeps you sane Once you have found your jumping-off point, gather up some paint samples that enhance the fabric, furniture or artwork you love. Keep in mind that the colour of paint samples in the store can appear quite different when you see them in your home. If you have a small jumping-off piece — such as a pillow — bring it right into the paint store with you. This will ensure that you end up bringing home the best assortment of paint samples possible. Once you are feeling good about a particular colour, find out if the store sells larger-sized samples. If you are instead using a sample of the paint from a test pot, it is suggested you paint two coats on a large piece of poster board. Move your sample around the room to see how it looks in different lights. And don’t just hold it up on the wall. Slip your tester board or sample on the wall behind the upper edge of your furniture so you can see how they look together. Take your time — it’s much easier to make a change in paint samples than it is to repaint a room. Let there be light Light plays a huge factor in your paint choice. A paint colour that is perfect for your room during the day can take on a very different look at night. Thinking of changing up your ceiling fixture or lamps? Do it before you start sampling the paints as different lighting will affect the look of your paint colour. Larger than life It’s not called a paint chip for nothing. It is just a small example of what will end up going on a much larger space. And a whole wall of paint will look darker than that sample of paint on the chip, so keep that in mind when choosing especially dark or intense paint colours. Look up, way up White is often the choice for ceilings and trim but be sure to be as careful choosing your whites as your colours. Even whites can be warm or cool. A warm white — rather than a cool one — is less jarring against a warm wall colour and vice versa. Can’t tell the difference in your whites? Take a handful of different white paint chips and compare them against each other and you will start to see the difference between them. Want to avoid a stark white ceiling? Dilute your ceiling paint with some of your wall colour to create a more subtle connection between your walls and ceiling. Paint is one of the least expensive ways to completely alter a room — so why not make sure you get it just right by doing a little planning before you pick up a brush? Sidebar: A Few Colour Tips One accepted approach to distributing colour in a room is to think of it as a math formula. Sixty percent of the room should be in the lightest colour, 30 per cent in a mid-tone colour and 10 per cent in the peppier accent colour. Want to warm a room? Consider red, orange and yellow hues. Need to cool things down? Blue, green and violet are right for you. When choosing yellow or pink for a room you may want to err on the side of caution. Both these colours can read as cheery on the chip but can be downright obnoxious on the wall. Purchase paint sample pots a few shades lighter than the chip you have chosen and you may find that the lighter versions are a better fit for an entire room. When in doubt, talk it out. The staff at your local paint store can give you some great feedback on the colours and type of paint you are choosing. Still nervous about making paint decisions? Many decorators offer colour consultations to help you find that perfect colour. Heather Cameron operates Edited Interiors, an Ottawa-area business that offers professional organizing, home staging, and interior decorating/redecorating services. You can contact her at 613 831-6398 or visit www.editedinteriors.com. This article originally appeared in the Summer 2008 issue of Due West/Due East magazine, a publication of Coyle Publishing Inc. home \| about \| professional organizing \| interior decorating \| home staging \| portfolio \| articles \| tips \| contact
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