7 Easy Steps to Choosing Paint Colors Perfect for Your Home

“Too much of a good thing” applies to paint colors for most homeowners.   You can feel quickly overwhelmed with the desire to be current but not too trendy.  In this post, I will go through the steps that I use to help me narrow down choices for choosing the perfect paint color.

Notice that I say “narrow down” – that’s because I look at it as a process of elimination:

• there are a plethora of possibilities available, particularly with paint
• color is a personal choice, so there is no one right answer for a space
• personal choice often varies with internal and external changes (mood/lifestyle/time of year/etc)

You can bring color to any interior design in numerous ways.  However, your walls will occupy the majority of your visual space.  Hence, the color you choose for wall paint will have a significant impact on your overall color scheme.  I think this is exactly the reason why some people are anxious about picking a paint color.  Even though painting your walls is relatively inexpensive compared to investing in all new furniture or flooring, it can be time-consuming.  And after you spend all of that time, you can’t exactly move it to the seldom-used guestroom if it doesn’t quite work out! 

BASIC STEPS FOR CHOOSING PAINT COLOR

As an engineer, I like algorithms. Algorithms are set methods of solving a problem. Here’s a summary of my algorithm for choosing paint colors:

1. define the space
2. define the intended function of the space
3. define the intended mood of the space
4. pick a general color/hue (ROYGBIV)
5. pick the undertone (warm or cool)
6. pick high or low saturation (how much grey/dull)
7. pick high or low value (how much white/bright)

Your answers to the first three steps will direct you through the last four steps of choosing paint colors. Below, I’ll walk you through examples of each step so you can be confident of your choices!

PAINT COLORS Step 1: Defining the Space

Defining the space you are going to paint seems straight-forward.  However, with more and more open concept home designs, it can get tricky.  Are you going to include the stairway or hallway that can be seen from the room? Are you going to paint both the kitchen and the living room since they are connected?  Just remember that while you are trying to create a cohesive look throughout your home, it does not require that you paint every space the same color.  Check out how I use several wall paint colors in my own whole home color scheme by signing into my Style Library resource.

This photo is a great example of how space can be defined by paint color even in open concept design.  Moreover, notice how they chose to paint the ceiling as well to really create a cozy nook. Check out my post about ceiling designs for intimate settings.

The use of a glass wall to divide the living and dining room is intentional to keep the spaces connected rather than distinct.  Continuing the back wall color into both spaces makes perfect sense!

Step 2: Define the Function of the Space

When you define the function of a space, it goes beyond “a kitchen is for cooking”.  Do you really use the kitchen for only breakfast and eat dinners in front of the TV in the family room?  Do you use your kitchen as an extension of your awesome outdoor patio space? Does the kitchen also serve as an afternoon study area when the kids get home from school?  Do you cook very little and really only use the kitchen to store wine and dishes for your catered events?  Most rooms serve multiple purposes, so choose the one most important to your lifestyle.

Step 3: Define the Intended Mood

Now that you are clear on where you are painting and what you are doing in the space, you now need to think about how you want to feel while you are doing that activity.  We all know that we use an office to get work done. But perhaps your job is stressful enough as it is and you need some calming influences.  Or do you need to feel energized to be creative in your endeavors?  Or maybe you need as few distractions as possible for pinpoint focus.

These first three steps in choosing paint colors are so important but often overlooked by most homeowners.   However, they are critical because there is a strong psychological and physiological connection to colors.  In essence, a space serves a purpose and colors can enhance your ability to accomplish that intended purpose.  Thus, you feel a room is “off” even if everything is perfectly appointed.  The psychological and physiological connections are personal.

STEP 4: Pick a Base Color

Rather than follow a chart that denotes typical colors with moods, I think answering questions like the ones below will help each individual correlate colors to their own moods:

• what colors are predominant in your activewear wardrobe?
  • commonly linked emotions are vibrant, energized, motivated, empowered, dynamic
• what colors are predominant in your cold weather, lounge-around-the-house wardrobe?
  • commonly linked emotions are relaxed, calm, comforted, content
• what colors come to mind when you think of nature?
  • commonly linked emotions are renewed, peaceful, refreshed, healed, tranquil
• what colors would you have everyone wear for a family photoshoot?
  • commonly linked emotions are cherished, blessed, content, joyful, tender, thankful
• what is the color scheme of your favorite luxury hotel resort or B&B?
  • commonly linked emotions are pampered, blissful
• what colors are predominant for your night out on the town wardrobe?
  • commonly linked emotions are confident, excited, invigorated
• what is the color scheme of your favorite swanky restaurant?
  • commonly linked emotions are empowered, elegant, sophisticated

Visualizing various activities that you do will help you associate general colors with your personal moods which you can then apply to your personal spaces. Here’s a chart for general associations of emotions and color if you need a jump start.

WALL COLOR EXAMPLE

Let’s walk through each of these steps for choosing paint colors with a very specific example – my kitchen!

1. the space to paint is the kitchen only
2. the kitchen is primarily used in the mornings for breakfast
   • the kitchen is used all year round, and winter days can be a bit dreary in the midwest
   • everyone in the family uses the kitchen for breakfast
3. the space needs to be soothing and relaxing to start the day off well-grounded before everyone heads out for their hectic day
4. other soothing activities or quiet family time include:
   • sleeping, and most of my sleepwear is blue
   • reading a book on the back patio, which is associated with nature (green)
   • the last family photos were done in jeans and light blue shirts
   • all but one of us have white noise sound to help with sleeping which is rain (blue)
   • as a family, we love a good hike in the woods (green)

Looking at the items above, I could go with choosing either green or blue as my base color.  However, I also need to consider what my family’s lists would reflect knowing that this space will be used by all of us.  Consequently, green is my ultimate color choice.  But not all greens are created equal!  I’ll share the steps for narrowing my paint color choice down even further in my next post.