HOW TO BRING YOUR HOME ALIVE WITH COLOUR
Seven essential questions to ask yourself when choosing paint colours.
Whether it’s for a new build, a renovation or just a room makeover, choosing paint colours can be a daunting exercise. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
1. What is the room going to be used for?
Different colours evoke different emotions, so a room that’s going to be used for relaxing will suit a soothing palette, whereas pops of bright colour might be more suitable for a busy playroom.
2. How big or small is the room?
Colour that looks light and airy painted on the walls in a large room may look different in a small room, where the walls reflect onto one another, making the colour appear more intense.
3. How light or dark is the room?
Light changes our perception of colour so the same paint may look different in different rooms. In a north-facing room the light is brighter, so darker colours will appear brighter. In a south-facing room the light is less intense and darker hues may look even darker.
4. When will the room be used?
Because the light in a room varies at different times of the day, so does the appearance of colour. Try your colour out using a Resene testpot and move it around the room at various times of the day to make sure you still like it.
5. What other colours are nearby?
Colour is affected by the colours next to it, so if your room has a lot of wood detailing, an intensely coloured carpet or a lush green view outside, take this into account when choosing your colours.
6. What finish will look best?
Glossy finishes are highly reflective, so the colour and room seem lighter and brighter. Matt or flat surfaces absorb the light, so the colour and room will feel deeper and darker than glossy surfaces.
7. What’s your personal taste?
Create a mood board, scrapbook or Pinterest page showing colour schemes that you like. Look for recurring themes in the images and use them as the starting point for your colour scheme.