PICKING PAINT COLOURS FOR YOUR HOME SHOULDN’T BE STRESSFUL
Welcome to Week 4 of my mission to fix the 10 most common decorating mistakes. Last week I laid down the law on rugs, this week we tackle choosing the correct paint colours.
With thousands of colours to choose from, it’s no surprise people get overwhelmed and stressed. Mistakes can be costly and time-consuming, but fear of choosing wrong often leads to the most common mistakes: picking pale, wimpy colours and the wrong tones. The good news is that every colour can be perfect for any room — it depends on the tone and shade (meaning light to dark) you choose.
THE RIGHT COLOUR FOR THE RIGHT ROOM
Living room: Since most living rooms are open to other areas, choose a colour that will serve as your overall neutral. Any colour can be a neutral — just choose a greyed-down version and then use it everywhere fearlessly. The more open-concept the space, the deeper the shade needed or the colour will wisp away appearing weak overall.
The easiest way to find colour inspiration is to look at what investment furnishings, rugs and art you’ve already got in the room — perhaps a patterned sofa or rug.
Ignore the two most predominant colours; the third colour is usually a great neutral and it’s the one for the walls. If you prefer a less colourful palette, consider a monochromatic scheme, making sure to play with many shades of the same colour, from dark to light.
Dining room: Think deep or bright colours as a way to infuse high fashion into your home. The dining room is the perfect space for a colour that always excites you since most furniture is in neutral wood or metal tones, and it’s not a room where you spend a lot of time. Warm colours like brick-red or gold, or dramatic tones like charcoal or navy are great choices.
Hallway: Hallways usually pick up colour from foyers, the stairwell or other adjacent areas. Follow this basic rule of thumb: limit paint colours to three within open-flow areas.
To make a hallway look spacious, paint the baseboards, door trims, doors and crown moulding (even the ceilings if using a lighttone colour) the same colour as the walls. It creates a cave of colour that blurs boundaries in the long, narrow space. (It works really well in a tiny powder room, too.)
Bedroom and Bath: Bedrooms and bathrooms are private spaces that invite more individualistic expression with paint colours.
That said, I still suggest coordinating your entire home’s palette but opt for different shades (lighter or darker) in the private spaces. To create a restful, spa-like environment in your bedroom or bath, opt for blues, greens, greys, and dusty or muddy colours.
DESIGNER TIPS
Choose the paint colour last in the decorating process. Remember, there are about 5,000 colours to choose from, but only a handful of sofas or drapery panels that will suit your taste — choose them first.
If your room faces south or west, consider cooler tones of your favourite colour to balance the warm natural light. Do rooms face east or north? Consider warmer tones.
Confused over finishes? Matte paint helps to hide rough walls and is an excellent choice for larger rooms. Glossy paint is best for new smooth walls, especially in smaller rooms where it reflects light, making the space appear larger. Next week we turn on the rules to lighting — a well-lit room is a decorator’s best friend. Do you have a decorating dilemma? You can email me at klohnesdecor@sympatico.ca