If you’ve been thinking about giving your home a makeover, choosing the right paint color is the key to getting the most out of your project. Choosing paint colors for your home can be a lot more involved than many homeowners expect, which is why it’s a good idea to get a few tips so that you can be certain to select the right colors for you.
UNDERSTANDING THE TERMINOLOGY
When choosing paint colors for your home, you may come across a variety of unfamiliar terms, including “hue,” “saturation,” and “intensity.” Understanding these terms can make picking your color a lot easier and will allow you to communicate exactly what you want to your painting professional.
“Hue” is simply another way of saying “color,” which means red, blue, and yellow are all hues. When we talk about saturation, we’re discussing the dominance of the hue. For example, as red transitions to pink, the dominance, or saturation, of the red hue decreases, meaning its less visible. Finally, the term “intensity” refers to the boldness of the colors. An unmixed color such as blue, for instance, would be more intense than a green-yellow mixture.
Colors with higher intensity can be a good choice for active spaces in your home, such as the living room, and saturated colors are great for a bright, open look. A paint professional can help you learn more about intensity and saturation so that you’ll have an easier time choosing colors for your home.
PAINT COLOR AND MOOD
Paint color and psychology have a well-known connection, meaning certain colors have the ability to impact your mood. Because of this effect, considering the mood you want for a particular room is one of the best ways to decide on the perfect paint color.
Most people, for example, want their bedroom to be a relaxing and restful, and if this is your goal, you may want to choose a cooler, softer color. In areas of your home meant for hosting, such as your living or dining room, you probably want a more energetic mood, which you can create by contrasting bright and warm colors.
Before choosing paints, talk with a painting professional about the type of mood you want for each room in your home. Once your professional knows the mood you’re attempting to create, they can help you select the ideal paint colors.
TESTING PAINT COLORS
When you’re choosing paint colors for your home, one of the most important things that you can do is to test out a few colors before you actually begin painting. After all, you don’t want to finish the entire painting job only to find that you hate your new color.
Once you’ve identified a few paint colors that you’re interested in using in your home, have some samples made and then paint a few small sections to see how the colors look. After you see how the colors actually look on your walls, you’ll have a better idea of which work and which don’t.
In addition to seeing how your paint samples look on your wall, you should also consider how they look with your furniture. Paint a piece of poster board with the colors you’ve chosen, then hold the board next to your furniture. It’s not necessarily a problem if the colors don’t match 100 percent, but you want to be sure the colors work well together.
