“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul." – Wassily Kandinsky.”

Introduction:

Choosing the perfect paint colour for your space can be a daunting task. With countless shades, finishes, and brands available, making the right decision can feel overwhelming. Yet, the colour you select sets the tone for your entire room, influencing its ambience, aesthetics, and even your mood. Whether you're aiming for a serene retreat, a vibrant gathering spot, or a sophisticated backdrop, understanding how to select the right paint colour is essential.

In this blog, we'll guide you through the process, offering expert tips and practical advice to help you find the ideal hue that will transform your space into a place you'll love.

Do These x5 Things and get the right paint colour- The FIRST Time

1. Get really clear on how you want the room to FEEL.

We have all heard of colour psychology and the importance of it. It’s no coincidence that hospitals are generally painted in cold whites to evoke feelings of cleanliness and create a clinical vibe. Whereas a spa sanctuary would be painted in warmer whites and softer colours to promote feelings of calm and tranquillity. Children’s play centres are often floor to ceiling mirage of primary colours as they are the first colours a baby sees and are stimulating and fun.  The exact same principle should apply to your home or room.

So get very clear about how you want your room to FEEL. As this will narrow down your options for paint colours dramatically. It will also point you In the right direction as to whether or not you are wanting a cooler edgier tone or a more welcoming and warmer tone. All important stuff to know BEFORE you go into any DIY or paint shop.

Here are some examples: A spare bedroom that is going to be used occasionally.  Then I would want to create a warm and friendly feeling, that is not too personalised or dramatic. Think a nice hotel room.

 A living room that is going to be used by everyone in the family and visitors: Then I would want it to feel warm, friendly, inviting, and homely. Perhaps a little more updated but would still tie into the rest of the house.

 A Home Office: Then I would want it to feel comfortable, but not distracting, light and airy perhaps.

It is entirely up to you, but once you get thinking about it, write everything down. Your going to need those words for the next step.

2. Work out which way your room is facing:

This is such a necessary and easy step but is so often overlooked. Which is a shame because just taking the time to figure this out will save so much time, money, and stress in the long run!

I have honestly lost count how many times I have heard the following:

‘’I chose this grey because it looked amazing in my friend’s bedroom, but it looks beige in my room!’’

OR

‘’The room just feel so cold now I have painted it, even with all of the furniture back in, it just feels uninviting and miserable it must be the paint!’’

Errr nope, nothing wrong with the paint, you have just applied it to the wrong room.

The long and the short of it is, North, North East and East facing rooms tend to be colder as the sun will either hardly hit it at all, or only hit it in the mornings.

South, South West and West facing rooms tend to be warmer as the sun naturally hits that side of the house for most of the day or in the afternoon through to evening.

As we all know natural daylight effects the light in the room therefore will change the highlight and alter the paint colour.

So go stand in your room and work out when the sun hits it and write it down.

3. Style Of The Room:

Think about the style of the room you are painting, whether you have an existing style in place that you are keeping, a style you would like to change to. Or you have a blank canvas because you are starting from scratch.

Take note of the interior style you wanting to re-create and do your research.

Pinterest, Instagram even Google will spit out hundreds and hundreds of inspirations in your chosen style. Only save the ones you really resonate with and take note of the colours.  Now, my top tip here would be, to give yourself a set amount of time to do your research. THEN STOP!

Otherwise, what I see is clients confusing themselves, re-visiting their ideas again and again and not ever getting anywhere. It is a recipe for overwhelm and indecision.  Not Helpful!

Remember: Its not just the paint colour that creates a room in a particular style. Furniture, accessories, window furnishings etc etc. So don’t get too hung up on this step, treat your research as a 'guide' rather than something you must follow and duplicate. Just being aware of the colours that are used to create that style is enough and will help set the foundations for creating the rest of the room.

4. Pulling It All Together

So if you have been following the steps, you will have a good idea of how you want the room to feel. what side of the house it is on and how you would like the finished room to look.

Now Let's Pull It All Together

Eg: You are re-painting your living room:  You are wanting a modern country feeling that is warm and inviting and homely.  The room faces South west, so the room will receive natural light for most of the day, but gets brighter and warmer in the evenings.

 So look for a warm neutral, that has a cool under tone rather than a yellowy one. Think off whites, rather than beige.

Errrrr what! I hear you say.

Do not panic, most DIY stores that are worth visiting will be able to point you in the right direction IF you can at least give them the information you have collected. Failing that read the back of the paint tins, there will be a description telling you whether it is a warm/cool white/grey and will often give you a good room use.

But do not let tell you what will work in your room. Just use it as a guide and keep in mind your previous research.

Aim to walk away with x3 paint samples at most! Any more and it all becomes very confusing.

Paint a large square on one side of the wall and leave it for a minimum of 48 hrs - this way you get a good spectrum of different light hitting the colour.

5. Adding In Different Colours For Contrast Or Interest

This step really should be the last step, otherwise it gets way too confusing and can go wrong very quickly.

Once you have figured out your main colour – then and ONLY then can you find complimenting or contrasting colours to work with for your accent or feature wall. Then it is as easy as looking on the paint manufacturers websites for exactly that, complimenting and contrasting colours.

Most of the major paint companies nowadays have tons of help when it comes to finding colours that work together. But they will not choose your base colour for you – that’s up to you, but once you do know, this step is easy.

One really easy way to do this is add the same colour in a different strength.

An example, in a bedroom you could have a 'full strength' version of your base shade behind the bedhead. Then a medium strength on the wall that gets the most natural light. Finally the rest of the walls in the lightest version. This will create depth and a feeling of 'lived-in.' Rather than a 'flat' result.

Another brilliant way is to go for contrasting colour for a feature or a really dark or light version of your base colour. Whatever you decide and whatever you would like to pick-out and feature. As long as you have done the previous x4 steps, you really cant go wrong!

Again, as with your base colour, get your sample pots - only x2 for your feature. Paint a large square and live with it for a few days. Or until you feel 100% comfortable with your choice and you have seen it in all the different lights - natural and artificial.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, choose a colour that you love and feel comfortable with. Trends come and go, but your personal satisfaction is what matters most.

Picking the right paint colour can transform your space, creating a backdrop that enhances your home's beauty and your personal style. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect hue for your home. Happy painting!

Debbie

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These steps are fantastic and will get you well on your way to choosing the right paint colour the first time! However if you have bigger projects you need to master, or more than one room. Then it might interest you to know we can help!

Why don't you check out our mini online-course!

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Say goodbye to overwhelm and stress when choosing paint colours! Discover the power of confident paint colour selection with our six-module course. We'll guide you step by step, eliminating confusion and empowering you to create the exact look you desire. No costly mistakes, no wall re-doing, just a fool proof process guaranteeing a beautiful transformation every time.