Minimizing Color Whiplash in Your Home

In the last decade it was all about finding those colors that would remind us of our favorite neighborhood coffee shop. Consulting fees were paid to experienced designers who would artfully combine 7 different colors from all ends of the spectrum–and that was just on the first floor.

Fast forward–the kids are leaving for college and suddenly a deep sense of peace we haven’t felt in years settles in. The silence is invigorating. And as we walk through the front door after a session of hot yoga, that fuchsia wall we used to love so much suddenly screams at us, disrupting our new found tranquility. We can tolerate the mass color-cacophony no longer.

So enters our saving grace. Or should we say grayce? So relaxing and freeing. Just the thought of neutral gray walls releases us from our long-lived color bondage. Forget the Suburban–we hop in our smaller, gas-efficient vehicles and head to the nearest Sherwin-Williams. Boldly and confidently we walk in, prepared to walk back out a few minutes later with our gallons of paint and new sense of purpose. But just as the sales representative asks us what color we want to paint, and we answer a defiant and simplistic “gray,” the dreaded color wheel enters the picture. Just like that our resolve ebbs as, adjusting our readers, we peer at the never-ending range of grays before us.

Choosing paint colors is more than just going to the local paint store and picking a swatch. The truth is, it never looks the same in the store as it does in your home. There are factors like lighting and surroundings that easily influence the tones in each color. This is why it is important to prepare before you make that trip to Home Depot and waste precious time trying to choose between “Serene Green” and “Green Peace.” The following tips are meant to help prepare you to chose a paint color that fits your home and style, thus saving you time, money, and the embarrassment of looking indecisive and naive in front of that intimidating color wheel.

How to Prepare for Choosing Paint Colors

1. Take pictures of your existing furniture and accessories in the room to be painted. Save them to your phone for a quick reference guide.
2. Choose a pillow, blanket, and/or fabric swatch you have in your home that are reflective of your style.
3. Gather inspirational pieces you may have around the house that represent the colors you love– a decorative plate, that picture from your trip to Italy, or your favorite novel with that elegant front cover. Along with the pillow/blanket, put these in a bag and stash them in your car.
4. Next browse Houzz or Pinterest, typing in the type of room you will be painting. Scroll to wall color.
5. Create a file or board with your faves.
6. Pay close attention to the furniture, trim work, and accessories, noticing the similarities and differences to those in your home.
7. At this point you should be able to start to see a trend in your styles and choices. There is probably a good chance you are choosing the same three colors consistently.

With all your research done and all the material gathered, you are now prepared to brave the local paint store to browse the color swatches.

 

Actually Choosing a Paint Color

1. Ask if the store employs a color consultant. If not, ask which consultant is the best at discussing color.
2. Show them a collection of your accessories, along with your Houzz and Pinterest folders.
3. They should be able to steer you in the direction of promising colors fitting to your tastes and styles.
4. Narrow your favorites down to 2-4. Purchase a quart of each. (If you are deciding upon multiple rooms, get 2-3 quarts for each room. This is worth every penny!)
5. Go to the local dollar or discount store, get white poster board and a package of their sponge-style paintbrushes.
6. Paint the poster board with the sponge brushes and let dry. (You can cut the poster board into quarters if you don’t need large samples.)
7. Tape or tack the swatches next to the woodwork.
8. Move the paint colors around and notice them in different light with your existing furniture draperies, cabinets etc.
9. Identify you favorite.
10. Buy a gallon of the winning choice and paint an entire wall. Yes, I said entire. You may need to paint a coat of primer first if you are covering an intense or dark tone with a lighter one. Also it is best to make sure you have your new color next to white woodwork or primer so that you can be sure the existing paint isn’t throwing you off.