Choosing The Right Colour

Every house is different and there is no general rule that can direct you to the right choice. However, there are a few tips to help you find a colour that reflects your personality and fits into the general appearance of your house.

Find out what colours you like

Our perception of colours is highly impacted by external factors, such as fashion and home décor trends. However, home decorators have come up with some tests to help you find out which colours you really like. Such tests include Pittsburg Paints' Colour Sense Game, that determine your favourite colours based on answers to seven questions, and the Dewey Colour System, which uses your favourite and least favourite colour to determine your personality.

Pick a colour that matches your home

You probably have some unchangeable items in your home with which you have to match the wall colour. Start with these things when picking a colour. As wall colour is the most flexible aspect when decorating, it should also be the last decision you make. Look at different colour samples, but wait until you have a room scheme before you make the final decision.

See what an entire room looks like

When looking at tiny colour chips it's difficult to imagine how a whole room will look. Colour looks different on walls and it changes as the light progresses during the day. There are many home decorating stores that sell colour samples for about €5. Some of them have samples that stick to the walls and can be moved around. There are also computer applications that allow you to paint walls in different colours. However, keep in mind that colours look different on actual walls and use the colour chips for comparison.

Use colours to highlight or hide things

Colours can make your room look smaller or larger, hide things that don't look good and highlight your favourite attractions. If your ceiling is too high and you'd like to make it lower so that the room looks cosier, use a colour that's one or two shades lighter than the wall colour. If it's too low and you want to make it seem higher, do the opposite.

Light colours and cool colours, such as different shades of green, blue and purple will make a room look bigger. Dark and warm colours like yellows, oranges and greens will make it look smaller. Cool colours and light colours will keep things you want to hide in the background. Warm and dark colours can be used to draw attention to your favourite touches.

Don't buy cheap

After all the time you spend on choosing the perfect colour, it would be a shame to waste your work by choosing a poor quality paint. Unlike many other things, cheaper paint usually means lower quality. Cheap paint will come off on clothes or while you clean the wall. You will then have to repaint and will end up spending more than if you'd bought a high quality paint in the first place.

Most people choose white or off-white for trim. If you want something less conventional, try the lightest shade of the wall colour. If you're truly bold and want to create a striking look, you can choose a lighter colour for walls and a darker or bright colour for trim.