Decorating With Color - Paint Selection

Decorating with color looks so simple and easy when you are watching a home improvement program on television. A home makeover project is in progress and the decision is made to do some interior painting. Then, just like magic, there is a beautiful new color on the walls of the room. Everyone is smiling, the room looks great, and gosh, it only took a couple of seconds for the transformation!

 Things like this only happen on television or to other people, not to you. I know, my life is never that simple or easy, either. However, decorating with color and selecting a paint color for an interior space in your home doesn't have to be an agonizing process.
 
There are some steps you can take to help you make a good decision when selecting a wall color and, therefore, become one of those happy, smiling people when the project is complete!

When decorating with color, think about how you want to change the look of the room or space. Do you want to add some drama to the area? Look at some deeper or brighter shades of colors. Or, you might be most happy and comfortable with a more subtle overall look to your space.
In that case, keep the colors more neutral; consider a shade of off-white (there are hundreds of choices).

Remember that a paint chip is a teeny, tiny little piece of color. It looks more intense when you put it on your very large walls. You might want to start with a shade that is less intense on the paint chip and test how it will appear on the walls.

Are you going to introduce a new color to the area, or do you plan to use a color that is already in the room? If you are thinking about a new and different color, make sure it will enhance the color scheme that is currently in the room. Your furniture and accessories should have new life and interest with the addition of a new color. Another great technique is to work with an existing color in the room and play it up on the walls by selecting a lighter or darker shade of that color.

It is always a wise decision to test your potential color choices before painting the entire room. Purchase paint samples if possible, or a quart if necessary, and prepare a color board. It's very simple. Just take a white poster board and put two coats of paint on it. You'll then have a good idea of the actual color.  

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'Til next time,
Candi