My Top 5 Tips for Choosing a Paint Color You Love

For those of you who haven’t seen my house, we live in a rainbow of rooms. Seriously… my house is a tribute to ROYGBIV (as are the clothes in my closet). There are times when I’m wooed by yet another episode of Candace Tells All or Divine Design and all of those pretty grays, taupes, off-whites and ice blues, but I know I could never feel completely happy in a world devoid of real color. Especially here in upstate New York (the real upstate, not just north of the City) where the winter gray can go on for days and weeks at a time. I must have intense, bold colors to keep me sane.

People who come through my house are amazed at the sheer number of different colors as well as my color combinations. I can’t tell you how many people have said, “I would have never thought to use red curtains with blue walls, but it really works!” I don’t think they are just being nice (or sarcastic!) – it really does work. I pulled the combination our of the antique rug my then-boyfriend, now husband bought me one year for Christmas (don’t laugh, it’s what I asked for!). Honestly, blue is not my favorite color (I’m really a warm neutrals kind of gal) but I have to say this is one of my favorite rooms in my house. Surprisingly, this blue has a very warm base and doesn’t feel cold at all.

I am asked all the time how to pick color. I’m sure there is some scientific formula when selecting paint colors, but the truth for me is, I just pick what I like. I know some people are terrified of making a mistake, but there are very few mistakes in life that will cost you less than $60, so my motto is, “go bold.” Whether that bold is taupe, pea green or honeysuckle pink, choose what you love and you won’t be disappointed. Here are my top 5 tips for choosing a paint color you love.

1. Look around you. What colors do you already have in your home? Now you may still be surrounded by your college dorm furniture and linens, but that’s okay. What’s your favorite thing – the one that makes you happy just looking at it? It could be a throw pillow, a rug, sheets, artwork or even flowers or plants. Use that color or colors as inspiration for selecting your paint color. If you’re lacking inspiration, think about what colors you respond to – are they cool colors or warm? Bold or soft? Do you like different colors in every room (like my ROYGBIV) or do you like your colors to seamlessly flow from room to room?
2. Don’t buy your paint the first time you go to the store. Take your inspiration color with you and try to match it to the swatches on the shelves. If you see something else you like, that’s okay – bring it home with you. While you’re there, grab a few of those cute little paint pots (they make great containers when the paint runs out) and take them home.
3. Paint several large pieces of poster board or cardboard with your paint. I like to make 4-6 sample boards and tapethem around the room so I get a good idea what it will look like against trim, fabric, artwork, rugs and furniture (and how it looks when looking into the adjacent room). It also lets me see the color in various light throughout the day and I can live with it for as long as I want before I make a commitment. And the best part is, I don’t muck up my walls with a bunch of paint splotches (especially important in case I decide not to paint at all).
4. Don’t go cheap. Cheap paint, rollers and brushes will not save you any money. Neither will not properly prepping your walls and trim. Plan to spend 3/4 of the time for “painting” actually prepping your walls. This includes filling any holes, sanding blemishes, wiping everything down for dust or grease and priming if necessary. Back to the paint – buy the best paint you can afford. Personally, I’m a huge fan of Benjamin Moore Aura paint but I know $60 a gallon isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. That said, it’s worth every penny. It goes on like a dream, cleans up beautifully and touches up completely invisibly. I love, love, love it! I recently used Pittburgh Paints Manor Hall at about $35 a gallon and you know what? I really liked it. I used it in my laundry room so it doesn’t get a ton of abuse but so far soap has wiped right off and is no worse for the wear. There are definitely pricier brands out there (like Farrow & Ball or Fine Paints of Europe) but I honestly don’t know if they are worth the money. I’ll try them some day and let you know (when they give me some free samples). My favorite big box store paint is Valspar (sold at Lowes). I haven’t bought it in a while (I’m a Benjamin Moore convert) but I think it’s right around $30 a gallon. For rollers and brushes, I only used Purdy. I’ve tried Wooster but they are too big for my hands and I couldn’t control it as well to make crisp lines.
5. Last but not least – don’t freak out if it doesn’t look like you expected. Paint will usually dry a little darker than it goes on. When painting my first son’s nursery Sherwin Williams Anjou Pear, I totally freaked out after the first coat of my bold gold looked neon orange. I almost got back in my car to pick out another color but decided to at least finish and see what happened. It turned out to be one of my favorite colors and I’ve used it in two of my houses. It may take a few days (or weeks) but just live with it for a while before doing anything drastic.

Of course, I know there are many of you out there who are terrified at the thought of picking anything other than off-white or taupe, that’s okay! I can help you. For inspiration, head over to my Portfolio or check out even more projects on my Facebook page. If you have a paint question, go ahead and enter it below and I’ll be sure to get right back to you. Or feel free to contact me directly through my website.