How To Choose A Paint Color For Your Walls When Remodeling
Selecting The Right Paint Color When Remodeling
One of the most interesting and exciting elements of a remodel that is often glossed over is choosing the right color palette for your design. Color affects us on a number of different levels both consciously and subconsciously. In fact, your color choices can make or break your space!
When choosing colors for your project you need to take several factors into consideration, For example, both natural and artificial lighting can affect how a color reads, as can its tone (for example warm or cool). In this blog post, we're going to look at how you can choose the best paint colors to meet your aesthetic and decorative needs when remodeling.
Getting Inspired
Painting is one of the easiest ways to give your home a quick makeover, and when remodeling, a fresh coat of paint can set the tone for your entire space. However, picking the perfect color can be hard, especially if you don't have a lot of experience and aren't sure where to begin.
Like anything else, we all have our own individual tastes and preferences when it comes to design elements. However, when it comes to color, all bets are off! There are so many shades of paint, and today, paint mixing technology allows homeowners and interior designers to match any color. It can be incredibly overwhelming just narrowing your options.
A great way to find your inspiration is to look around you and start with what already exists in the space. Look at some of your favorite design elements like a favorite painting, a tile backsplash, a piece of furniture, or throw. Often you can narrow your color choices down to the family of colors found in one of these elements. Gather and layout your favorite items as a kind of “vision board” to see which colors pop out at you.
Once you've narrowed down your choices to a few favorite colors but you're still not sure, another great way to find your inspiration is to consider how you're planning on using the space. For example, if you're planning on using the space as a gathering area, like a living room or family room, an energetic color like yellow, can energize the space for entertaining, while a soothing gray or rich green might create a more relaxing space. Try to narrow your choice down to one color family and then sample and test until you find the perfect hue.
The main point to take away is that color is personal, the one you choose for a particular space should circle back to the vibe you're looking to create in the space. If you're still not sure, it's always a safe bet to work with a professional designer who is experienced in undertones and picking colors for spaces.
Narrowing Down Your Paint Color Choices
Once you've settled on a general color family if you're working with a designer, they can help you by selecting several color choices and helping you choose the best from among them. If you're not working with a designer, now is the time to head out to the paint store and bring some chips home.
For example, if you've come home with six shades of blue, lay them all out and compare them to one another. You'll begin to see subtle differences in shades. One may lean more toward green, some might be closer to denim. Some may have an undertone that you don't like.
Narrow your choices down to three of four colors and tack them to the wall of the room you'll be painting, or use a sheet of white paper for a more neutral background. Bear in mind that your chips will appear a little darker on a light background, and lighter on a dark background. Often when comparing, it will become clear which color will work best.
Read Making A Statement With Wallpaper
Once you've chosen your final three or four colors, you need to test them. purchase small samples of each color and paint them right on the wall, at least 2-foot by 2-foot squares, side by side to make a more accurate decision. It's important to make sure you purchase samples in the finish you're planning to use (matte, eggshell, satin, high gloss) because the finish can change the way the color reads.
Light will also affect how a color reads on the wall. Check your samples at different times of the day and try different lighting (various wattages) to determine how the light will affect your color. Live with them for a few days until a clear winner emerges.
Developing Your Color Palette
Many homeowners wonder if they should keep a cohesive color palette throughout their home. The answer is... “it depends.” Some designers like to maintain a cohesive theme throughout the home keeping colors complementary and consistent from room to room. The bottom line is that color palette and selection and how it features throughout a home is entirely dependent upon your personal taste.
If your home features an open floor plan and the kitchen, dining, and living room are all open to each other, keeping the color consistent can make the space feel more open. If you'd rather have the rooms feel more separate, using contrasting colors can create the illusion of a more separated space.
While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to painting, most designers recommend keeping the color of the trim and molding consistent throughout to create a unifying thread from room to room.
Paint is one of the easiest renovations you can do in your home, but you don't want to be repainting every year. A high-quality paint should maintain its sheen and color for up to 10 years. However, that doesn't mean you have to stick to classic colors! Don't be afraid to experiment with trendier colors. If you get sick of a color, you can just repaint! Unlike permanent changes like remodeling your kitchen, or removing walls, paint can be easily and cheaply updated over a weekend.
If you live in the West Central Alabama area, and you're planning a remodeling project, why not give the design experts at Toulmin Kitchen & Bath a call at (205) 366-0807. We can help you to design the perfect space right down to choosing the perfect color to meet your aesthetic needs!
