How to Choose the Perfect Color Paint

October 21st, 2011 by Caitlin Morgan| Posted in Apartment Guide, Apartment Interiors, Apartment Living, Decorating, Etsy & DIY, Tips & Tricks | No Comments »

Those of us who enjoy decorating live in fear of choosing a seemingly beautiful color, only to hate the hue for years before we can justify repainting the room.   Plan ahead!  Below are some strategies to help ensure you pick the Goldilocks of interior paint—not too warm, nor too cool, but juuust right.

Acquire a zillion paint chips

Feel free to interpret “a zillion” however you like, just make sure you have a lot of options.  This includes choosing colors that appeal to you, as well as ones a few shades lighter and darker.  Your best guess on paper isn’t always the right value (lightness or darkness) for a space.

Tape them on the wall

Hanging paint chips should give you a better sense of what that color will look like.  Give them a few days, check them out in different light.  The second you feel negatively about one of the chips, take it down and toss it.

Get actual samples

When you finally get down to a choice between two or three options, buy samples and paint swatches on the wall.  If all goes well, this stage should make the final decision easier.  You might consider painting a few layers of white around and below the swatches so that your current color does not skew your new ones.

Consider your couches

Repainting the living room? Don’t clash with the couches.  The bathroom?  Make sure you take into account that red tile you love.  Whatever paint you select should enhance the appearance of things you already own.

Live with it

Occasionally, no matter how much time you dedicated to choosing the correct color, it ends up completely different than you envisioned.  Sure, you can make yourself crazy and start all over.  Or you can save your money and take it as a lesson in patience and forgiveness—of yourself AND that too-burnt orange.

Eco-Editor’s Note: choose low or zero VOC (volatile organic compound) paint to minimize the toxic fumes invading your space!  If you don’t want to drop the dough on the greener option, keep your room well ventilated while you paint, and avoid spending too much time there for a few days.