How to choose paint colors based on your home’s style, era
Standing in front of an array of hundreds — perhaps thousands — of 2- or 3-inch paint chips at the hardware store can be intimidating. A theoretically calming color like green can become a decision minefield, populated with names like Leapfrog, Raw Tomatillo and Fresh Grass. Beige suddenly seems like the easiest choice.
But you may be able to find the color inspiration you need within the architecture of your home or the era in which it was built. Live in a Colonial revival constructed in 1890? Consider a palette of rich blue, ochre and russet. For a 1928 apartment in an Art Deco building, think jewel-toned, Jazz Age pops of jade, amethyst and sapphire. “Every period in architectural history has colors that define it,” says building conservationist Mary Jablonski. “So go ahead and put a little color into your life.”
Even if you aren’t trying to create a historical replica, shades from your home’s past can at least serve as a jumping-off point to make the decision process a lot easier, says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams, which offers a resource for homeowners called
Color Through the Decades. “If you’ve got some paralysis, this is a great way to help make decisions,” she says, simply because you’ll be starting with a more streamlined range of options.
Andrea Magno, director of color marketing for Benjamin Moore, concurs.
For instance, if you’re lost in a sea of blues, focusing on the brand’s history-inspired collection will immediately narrow your choices. “There are about 18 blues ranging from light to dark — a smaller selection of color making the process easier to manage,” she says.
Or maybe you want to lean away from your home’s period. Paint can help with that, too. Let’s say you want to inject a mid-century modern vibe into the living room of your Victorian rowhouse. Painting the walls pale chartreuse will set the stage for Atomic-era furnishings much better than a deeper color from the age of Victoriana.
For interior designer Rayman Boozer, whose clients come to him for his bold use of color, it’s about creating a space that reflects your own history along with that of your home. “There has to be a thread that ties everything together,” Boozer says. “It’s a color story waiting to be told.”
Take, for example, a 1920s-era Chicago home that Boozer is cur