Your Guide to the Perfect Paint Color.
Choosing the right paint color for your home can feel overwhelming. After all, your walls set the tone for every room and create the backdrop for all the moments you’ll experience in your space. Whether you’re updating a single room or giving your entire home a refresh, selecting a color is about much more than just aesthetics—it’s about creating an environment that reflects your personal style, mood, and the way you live.
With a few thoughtful steps, you can choose the perfect shade for your space—one that will stand the test of time and make your home feel uniquely yours.
Step 1: Consider the Room’s Natural Light
The first thing I always recommend is to assess how much natural light your room receives throughout the day. Light can drastically change the way a paint color appears. Rooms bathed in natural sunlight can handle darker, moodier hues, while rooms with less light often benefit from lighter tones that reflect whatever light they do get.- North-facing rooms: These tend to have cooler, softer light. Opt for warmer neutrals or soft shades with warm undertones to balance the coolness of the natural light.
- South-facing rooms: Bright and sunny for most of the day, these spaces can handle both cool and warm tones. Take advantage of this flexibility by choosing a color that enhances the warmth of the sun, or lean into cooler hues to balance it out.
- East-facing rooms: These rooms get lovely morning light, but by the afternoon they may feel a bit cooler. Consider warmer tones like peach, pale yellow, or soft creams to maintain warmth throughout the day.
- West-facing rooms: Afternoon sunlight can create a golden glow, making rich, deep colors feel even more inviting in these spaces. Think of soft terracotta, deep greens, or creamy whites to enhance the warmth.
Step 2: Define the Mood You Want to Create
Paint is one of the easiest ways to influence the mood of a room. Think about how you want to feel when you walk into the space. Are you looking for something relaxing and serene? Or are you going for bold and energetic?- For a calm, peaceful space, like a bedroom or bathroom, I recommend soft blues, muted greens, or gentle neutrals like creams and taupes.
- For a vibrant, energetic space, such as a kitchen or home office, you might want to experiment with brighter colors like rich yellows, sunny oranges, or lively greens. These colors can inject life and energy into a space.
- For cozy and intimate spaces, like a living room or den, choose deeper, more saturated colors like charcoal gray, navy, or even a warm burgundy. These shades create a sense of depth and invite you to settle in.
Step 3: Consider Your Home’s Overall Palette
I always like to remind people that their home should feel cohesive, even if each room has its own personality. When selecting paint colors, think about how the shades will flow from one room to the next. I often recommend choosing a base of neutral shades for larger, more open spaces and introducing accent colors in smaller rooms or through feature walls.- Create a palette of complementary shades: Start with one or two neutral tones that you can use throughout the main living areas and hallways. Then, choose accent colors that complement these neutrals for bedrooms, bathrooms, and other spaces.
- Don’t be afraid of contrast: Light and dark shades can work beautifully together. Pairing a light, airy neutral with a bold, dark accent can add interest and sophistication to a space without feeling overwhelming.
- Use nature as inspiration: Look to the outdoors for colors that are both soothing and timeless. Earth tones, soft greens, and warm browns bring a natural, organic feel to your home that never goes out of style.
Step 4: Test Before You Commit
One of my biggest tips is to always test paint samples on your walls before making a final decision. Even if a color looks perfect on the paint chip, it might look different when applied to the walls of your home. Paint samples on different walls of the room and observe how the color changes throughout the day.- Test in different lighting: See how the color looks in the morning, afternoon, and evening light. Artificial lighting can also change the appearance of a color, so make sure to check how it looks under lamps or overhead lights.
- Compare finishes: Paint finishes—whether flat, eggshell, satin, or glossy—can also affect the way a color appears. A matte finish may give a soft, velvety look, while a glossy finish can make colors pop and reflect more light. Be sure to test your color in the finish you plan to use.