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Interior Designers Dallas

Interior Design: The Top Tips for Picking out Paint Colors for Your Home

Stephanie Kratz
|
June 8, 2021

Are you looking to paint your home, but aren't sure which colors to choose? There are so many different paint colors out there that choosing the right one for your home can be tough. 

Plus, painting your home is a lot of hard work, so the last thing you want is to choose a color that you end up hating a week later. 

If you have no idea which color to choose, you've come to the right place. Read on to learn the top tips for picking out paint colors for your home. 

1. Start Small 

Repainting your entire living room or another large room in your home is a big commitment. It can be hard to tell if the color you love in the can will be a color you love 2 years down the road on your wall. 

This is why we suggest starting small before you commit to painting a huge area in your home. 

For example, paint a wall in your bathroom, a wall inside your walk-in-closet, or the wall behind your washing machine. 

By painting a small area, you'll give yourself some time to see how you really feel about the color when it's right in front of you every day. And if you don't like it, you can easily paint it back to its original color. 

2. Pull From Existing Pieces 

One of the best ways to choose a new paint color for your home is to pull from existing pieces. 

This is the best way to keep things coordinated without having them be too matchy-matchy or too different. 

Here are some pieces in your home you should look to for color inspiration:

  • Rugs
  • Lamps
  • Throw pillows
  • Paintings
  • Blankets
  • Candles
  • Plants

3. Keep Color Psychology in Mind

When choosing paint colors for your home, it's very important to keep in mind the ways in which color affects our mood and what different colors represent (aka, color psychology). 

Here's what you should know about each color:

Red

Red is a very powerful, energizing color that emotes affection, love, survival, strength, and friendliness. 

If you want a color that brings a powerful presence to a room, then red is a good option. 

Orange 

Orange is an interesting color to choose for your home, as it combines the friendliness of yellow with the power of red. 

It evokes enthusiasm, warmth, and motivation. Orange is a very comforting color, making it a great option for those who want to bring a cozy vibe to a room. 

Yellow 

Yellow is the epitome of happiness, joy, optimism, and cheerfulness. 

If you want the room you're painting to lift your spirits and increase your confidence, then yellow is the color for you. However, because yellow is such a bright color, you'll want to avoid using too much of it, as this can increase anxiety levels. 

To find the right balance of it, we suggest painting your room in a lighter shade of yellow or painting just a portion of your wall this color. 

Green

Green evokes harmony, balance, rest, and peace. It's also a sign of growth, whether that be in a physical object like a plant or in wealth and income. 

If you're looking to relieve stress and promote rest and health, green is a great color to choose for your home. 

Blue

Blue is one of the most common colors used in marketing, as it represents trust and dependability. 

Blue helps bring a sense of calmness to a room, and it helps one to destress and feel optimistic. Because blue is such a well-liked color, it's a pretty safe bet for painting your home. 

Purple

Purple evokes imagination, spirituality, loyalty, luxury, magic, and mystery. 

Many people choose to paint their libraries and art studios purple, as it's the color that's most often associated with creativity. 

Pink 

Pink is a less intense version of red, and it evokes compassion, hope, empathy, and sensitivity. 

It used to be that pink was just used for baby girl rooms. However, pink is becoming a more and more popular color choice for the main rooms of the home, especially light pink. 

Brown 

While brown may not be the most visually stimulating color, it's a sign of structure. Brown represents support, security, and protection. 

It's also a great choice to use in spaces where you feel like black might be too intense. 

Black 

Black is the color of control, seriousness, sophistication, and independence.

While many people worry that painting a room black can make it look depressing, the right lighting contrasted with a black wall can help add depth to a room. Just be careful not to use too much of it. 

White 

When all else fails, white is a great option for painting your home. While many people perceive white to be boring, choosing white for your base color means you can go pretty much any direction you want when it comes to decorating. 

White evokes purity, simplicity, and cleanliness, and it's a great color option for those who appreciate a minimalist aesthetic

4. Pay Attention to Lighting 

When picking out paint colors for your home, it's also very important to pay attention to lighting. 

Here are some things you should keep in mind when it comes to colors and lighting:

  • Natural light helps show the truest color
  • Fluorescent lighting casts a sharp blue hue to other colors
  • Incandescent lighting brings out yellows and warm tones

This means, for example, that a strong color might be too overpowering and bright when placed against a large window. However, it might work well on an accent wall. 

Picking Out Paint Colors: Are You Ready to Choose? 

Now that you have these tips in mind for picking out paint colors, it's time to choose the right ones for your home. 

Also, if you're looking to learn more about choosing the right paint colors for your home, check out this guide on how to use the 9 most popular colors in your home's interior and then book a consultation for interior design services in your home! 

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