Choosing interior colors that bring you joy is step one in your painting project. What better way to get color inspiration than to start with the colors you love! While it is much easier to change the interior color of a room then repainting the exterior, you really want to get your choice right the first time. So let’s think about things that can inspire you to select colors that will make you smile every time you enter your house.
Gathering Ideas
Think about your favorite colors. When you start thinking about choosing interior colors, look in your closet to see what colors appeal to you. Bonus: This would be a great time to go through your clothes and organize them by colors). You may be really surprised at the colors you favor – and which one you don’t even have in your closet.
Flip through magazines and look at photos that inspire you. Consider different shades of the same color. You may be surprised at the colors that jump out at you and it may get you thinking about having an accent wall. Accent walls create a focal point, allow you to mix colors and add depth to your overall design. While most of us don’t study color theory, you can use a color wheel to see how colors relate to each other and that will help you choose harmonious combinations.
What room(s) are you painting? Each room in your house serves a different purpose and therefore you may want to create a different mood for each. Your kitchen is probably a gathering place for your family, so you want it to be warm, fun and lively. In that case yellow, golds, terra cotta or even a peachy shade of orange will reflect your family’s personality. You may want to create a relaxing atmosphere in another area of your home. In that case you may choose something soothing and tranquil like soft blues, grays or greens.
Look for Inspiration
Look at your furniture, pillows and accent pieces. Unless you are planning to completely refurnish or redecorate your room, you want to be sure to pick out colors that coordinate well with the items you already have. The artwork on your walls, the pillows in your sitting areas and other decorative pieces can help you make good choices.
Consider room size. Darker colors will make the room seem smaller, giving it a cozy feeling. Lighter colors will make things seem larger and brighter. If you are really drawn to a darker color for a room that you want to appear larger, again – consider an accent wall! Other tricks to make a smaller or darker room seem larger…hang floor to ceiling curtains, display large scale artwork, and spread lighting around the room instead of using an overhead light.
Plan for flow. What is the overall color scheme in your house? The rooms in your house should flow naturally, so consider colors in the same family. Warm colors such as red, yellow and orange or cool colors such as gray, blue and green create beautiful, flowing palettes. Neutral colors may seem like a boring choice, but that is your chance to add pizzazz to a room with colorful accents that you can change with the seasons. Another important consideration that makes the flow of your house seamless is to make sure the trim paint the around doors, windows and baseboards is the same in every room.
Extra Help
Use a color visualizer. As in selecting exterior colors for your home, the internet is your friend! Tools, such as ColorSnap by Sherwin Williams allow you to “try on” colors. You can even upload pictures of the rooms you want to paint and virtually paint them with colors you are considering.
Sherwin Williams has also recently added a FREE color consultation with an expert.
ColaTown Painting is here to help! We are happy to loan you a color fan and give you plenty of time to make your selections. Once you confirm them – let us do the hard work!
Call or e-mail Britt today for your free estimate and consultation. 803-603-6486 or ellisb@colatownpainting.com
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