How to Choose the Right Interior Paint Colors

A fresh coat of paint can add new life to a dull room. There are so many interior paint colors to choose from, it is easy to become confused. Choosing paint colors does not have to be an overwhelming task. By following a few simple rules, you will be able to choose paint colors that complement each other and bring out the beauty in any room.

First Thing's First

Before you decide on interior paint colors, there are some decisions you need to make. You need to decide on furniture, carpeting or rugs, wallpaper, and any fabrics that will be used in the room. It is much easier to decide what colors to paint the walls if you know the colors of the carpeting and the furniture in the room.

Choosing Paint Colors

Once you have the decor of the room planned, you're ready to head to the store for paint. You will want to take fabrics swatches, as well as pieces of trim or tile, with you when you go to choose paint colors. Don't rely on your memory when trying to match a color. Behr suggests previewing your paint color selections for the main wall, trim and accents.

The Behr virtual color center allows you to preview your paint selections. You can "paint" a sample room or upload a picture of the room you plan to paint so that you can see if your color combinations work well together before you ever pick up a paintbrush.

Accentuating the Positive

According to the Sherwin-Williams Company, using blue, green or violet colors will make a small room seem larger, whereas, using red, gold, orange or brown will make a large room feel smaller.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing interior paint colors is what the room will be used for. Warm colors, colors with yellow undertones, encourage playfulness. Cool colors, colors with blue or red undertones, encourage thoughtfulness and serenity. To achieve balance and variety, the Sherwin-Williams color experts said just using both warm and cool colors in a room.

Try using Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer to preview your color choices.

Avoiding Paint Color Choice Mishaps

Once you have chosen your paint color combination for the room's main wall, trim and accents, get only a sample size of each color to start. Paint a small section on the main wall with color that you have chosen for the main wall. Do the same with the trim and the accent paint.

Once the paint dries, you'll have a good idea of what the colors will look like in the room. Be sure to look at the paint colors with just the natural sunlight shining in the room, with the lighting that will be in that room turned on, in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening.

If you are happy with how your paint colors look in every light, you're ready to paint your room.