How to pick the perfect paint color

Paint is an affordable and easy way to refresh a room, but you’ve got to get the color right

With thousands of paint colors to choose from, it’s no wonder that many people have a hard time deciding. So many colors look inviting — how do you zero in on the right one for you and your home? What should influence your decision?

Before you head to the paint store, take a look at the tips below for help:

Think about the colors of a favorite object in the room.

Take a look around for some ideas. “When it comes to choosing paint colors, I always recommend to homeowners to star t with what they love,” said Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-williams. “If there are certain objects people are drawn to in their home, they can use that as inspiration for a palette.” Let’s say you’ve got a rug you’re wild about. Depending on the rug’s pattern and other décor in the space, you could choose the exact same color for the walls or go slightly lighter or darker, Wadden said. “Play with color online by using tools like Sherwin-williams’ Colorsnap Visualizer, which allows you to test out a color in the space before committing.”

Pick a color that will complement what’s already there.

Maybe you plan to keep your sofa or the room has hardwood floors you want to show of f — keep these things in mind and pick a paint color that will coordinate well.

Look in your closet for inspiration.

Are most of your clothes in warm colors in red, yellow and orange? Or are they mainly in the cool families of blue, green and purple? If you’re comfortable wearing those colors, then you’ll probably feel comfortable with walls in those same shades.

Choose several colors on one paint strip.

A paint strip shows a base col

or and several lighter or darker shades that work well with one another. Using the same color but with subtle differences throughout a room creates harmony, balance and a sophisticated look. This works especially well with an open floor plan where you can paint the main walls one color and any arches or walls jutting out other tones of the same color.

Don’t just rely on paint chips.

Paint chips help narrow down your color selection, but once you’ve selected two or three of your favorite hues, get paint samples, which come in quar ts, to paint a large swatch of each color in several places within the designated space.

“By living with the swatches for a few days,” Wadden said, “you can really obser ve how the colors shift as the natural light changes and how they look under artificial lighting like lamps.” Once you’ve spent time with each color, then make your final choice. This can save you a lot of frustration and money in the long run.”

GETTY IMAGES Homeowners can narrow down their color choices by looking at their clothes and seeing what colors they are drawn to.