Choosing Paint Colours

If you want to freshen up your walls with some new paint, there are a lot of things to consider when deciding on the colour. Besides establishing a palette for the rest of the décor, wall colour can affect the room in a number of ways.

If you have furniture, carpeting or other room elements that you want to keep or have already chosen, you’ll want to bring samples or pictures along when shopping, and in general you’ll want to look out for opportunities to find colours wherever you go. You can also pick up paint chips from stores to compare options back at home or while looking at furniture and other accessories. 

When carrying around paint chips, though, make sure they’re labeled with the brand, any colour information that isn’t printed on the chip already, and the store where you found it. This will make going back to find the paint that you’ve decided on that much easier later on.

Colour usage will also depend on which room you’re painting. For a kitchen, for example, you will likely want warmer reds and oranges. These can help to provide energy and excitement to a room used for social gatherings, and are also said to promote hunger.

For other social areas of the house, like living and dining rooms, the colour you want may depend partly on what kind of tone you want to set. More formal areas will lend themselves to cooler colours and neutrals, as opposed to brighter and cheerier colours for a more casual, active setting.

For bedrooms, on the other hand, you’ll want a less stimulating palette. Cooler colours, including blues and greens, and more neutral tones, even whites, will generally be more soothing and relaxing. Yellows can also brighten up a room without being too intense, as long as the shade is chosen carefully. For any colour, make sure the tone isn’t too bright.

When choosing a more distinctive colour, you’ll want to be careful not to overwhelm the room—and your senses—with too much of something strong like black or metallic paints. These are generally better used as accent colours. You’ll also want to be careful about trendy colours or patterns that might not age well.

In the end, as difficult as it might be, you shouldn’t be afraid to make a decision. You can start with a small, hidden area and then work your way out as you become more certain. It’s not that uncommon to go through false starts before settling on the right choice, and experimenting and tweaking with different colours will help you to make the best final decision for you.

If you are wanting a locals opinion, maybe even one from an interior designer, ask a local about the space you are trying to paint and your thoughts on prospective colours here.