The Ultimate Guide To Paint Color Ideas For Painters And Homeowners

You may find some hints as to which color to choose depending on what room you’re painting; for example, according to ColorPsychology.org notes that blue is a color that has the effect of orderliness, mental clarity and improves productivity. It also has a calming effect, and has been shown to lower pulse rate and even the temperature of your body. It’s therefore ideal for the workplace.

The Detailed Psychology Of Color

Here is a brief rundown of some of the predominant emotions attached to individual colors, in terms of paint color choice.

• Blue is a calming, soothing color that is also seen as stabilizing and reliable.
• Green is also soothing, as well as inspirational and stress-relieving for many.
• Purple is seen as a noble, elegant color that elevates a color scheme.
• Yellow is warm, attention-getting, and cheerful, but can also be aggressive and overbearing.
• Red is an energetic color that can really liven up a theme, when used in moderation. Overuse can result in anxiety.
• Black is seen as fashionable and stylish in conjunction with other colors, but when used too much in paint or design can become depressing or morbid.
• White is also stylish, as well as seeming clean and uncomplicated. But a predominately-white house without any accenting colors can seem stark and sterile.

So now that you have a very basic basis for the psychology of color, how do you go about choosing the actual shade?

Apart from giving you an overall view of more basic colors, it also highlights colors that contrast well next to others. Typically, color wheels are based on primary colors, secondary colors, and tertiary colors. The second and third of these are formed by mixing the others, either primaries together, or primaries and secondaries.

Viewing the colors on the color wheel gives you a better idea of the base colors, which in turn may help you determine what colors will work well with each other.

Using color matching systems such as Pantone allows you to work with a standardized base of colors.

This means that if you use a certain Pantone color ordered from a certain paint supply store, and later have to order it from a different store, you can use the Pantone code or color name with the new store and not worry about whether it will match or not. Both stores will run off the Pantone Color Matching System.

Popular Colors

Pantone also chooses a Pantone Color of the Year. Starting in 2005, the company began to elect a certain color based on “ascending color trends,” among other things, according to the Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

The color is chosen by representatives of the color standards groups of a variety of nations, giving each color a solid global appeal.

Image Credit: iStock.com/humonia

Other institutes and paint brands choose “color of the year” as well, resulting in a wave of color trends across fashion and design with each changing season.

You may have noticed that certain colors are “in” one season, and out the next. While it’s unlikely that your house paint will be as fickle as the current style, the “hot” colors that are trending may strike a chord that moves you to choose that particular tone for your living room.

According to Elle Magazine’s home decor department, some of the top trends for this year include “energizing corals,” which work along with Pantone’s Color of the Year, Living Coral.

Another trend is dark hunter green, which has the benefit of feeling outdoorsy and woodsy, close to nature, while still being gender neutral.

Also trending are jewel toned accents, which can add a pop of color to the always popular neutrals: blush, mushroom, beige, and cream.

Helpful Color Matching Apps

Have you stumbled across the perfect color in nature, in the middle of a store, or in the depths of your child’s eyes? How on earth are you supposed to figure out what color that is?

Obviously, you aren’t the only person who has ever had this problem, because there are a number of apps that actually were created to help solve it.

These apps are designed to allow you to take a picture of wherever you’ve found the perfect shade. Then, the app will spin the color wheel til it finds the closest matches, allowing you to take the name/number in to your local paint store and order it up.

These apps do tend to be designed by individual paint companies, so it may be a good idea to download a few of them and run your color through each to see which one matches up for you closest, in terms not only of shade but also of price and quality.

• Color 911
• Dulux Paint Colour App
• ColorSmart by Behr
• Resene ColourMatch

• Take note of which rooms in the house are visible from other rooms. If you have a large, open floor plan space, you’re probably going to want to choose colors that are similar or which contrast nicely, avoiding anything that clashes within that space.
• Choose a color for the main room of the house, and build your palette around it.

• Matte finish. This interior wall paint choice is actually the most commonly found paint type for interior decorating. As the name suggests, it’s matte — there’s no sheen or shine to the paint. It’s easy to apply with a brush or a roller, and covers well. However, if you have kids or dogs, you should keep in mind that matte paint is easy to mark, and not always easy to clean.
• Matte enamel finish. Very similar to a plain matte finish, this paint has the advantage of an enamel-like aspect to it, which makes it much easier to wipe down when it is marked.
• Satin finish. This finish is somewhere in between a gloss and a matte, which gives it a slight sheen. It’s easy to clean, but gives a thinner coverage, which makes any imperfections or holes in the wall stand out even more.
• Eggshell finish. Similar to satin, except with a duller, softer sheen. It’s also easy to wipe clean, and doesn’t highlight problems with the wall as much as a satin finish paint.
• Semi-gloss finish. This paint is thicker and more durable, meaning it can cover more with just one coat. It doesn’t quite have a full gloss tack to it, but it is easy to clean with soap and water. It’s often used on wood, such as trim.
• Gloss finish. Gloss is the second most common choice for interior wall paint after a matte finish. It has a high shine and cleans well, but shows imperfections. It’s also commonly used on trim and other wood features.
• Textured paint. This paint gives some dimension to your walls, allowing you to move beyond the typical finishes. Typically you can choose from options like stone, sand, and faux finish.
• Emulsion paint. This is a water-based paint, with vinyl or acrylic added for longer lasting durability. It comes in several finishes.
• Clay, chalk, or milk paints. These options don’t contain the same acrylics and chemicals that traditional paint does, and so they are more environmentally friendly. They’re matte finish, and tend to be earthy, more neutral tones.

After all, you have to live with the colors you choose; if anxiety is a problem, opt for soothing blues and greens and cooler colors.

However, if depression is a consideration, it’s best to avoid blues, as they can exacerbate the problem.

Quality of Paint

How often are you planning on painting your rooms?

For some of us, it may be more often than we might think — sometimes, just changing up the room’s decor a little makes it easier to live with.

But for most of us, we’d rather hold off on painting as long as possible. If that’s the case with you, opt for a higher quality paint which offers durability and a longer lifetime.

• What furniture, flooring, paintings, and other features of the house will the paint be a backdrop for?
• Will the paint color clash with any of the owner’s belongings?

Seek out feedback from others. This could be your family, your housemates, random strangers on the street — get an opinion on what works and what doesn’t, and why.

That said, don’t just go by what others tell you. It’s your house, after all, and you’re going to have to live with the color.

Remember the old saying, different strokes for different folks. You may truly love a certain color, but not everyone is going to agree with you. And that’s perfectly fine; color choice is all about individualism, creativity, and speaking to the inner person.

Other Considerations For Homeowners

DIY may not be your thing. If that’s the case, here are some facts and tips for you.

• According to Home Advisor the average to paint the inside of a house runs from $967 to $2722.
• Shop around before deciding on a painter. Ask for estimates, check for references and previous work done, and insist on a contract.
• If you’re not wanting to completely DIY but you’re leery of hiring a stranger, consider asking around for help with your painting projects. Many of us have friends that don’t mind spending a few days helping out, whether for a little extra cash or for free pizza and beer.
• Know what materials and tools you need, and be prepared. There’s nothing worse than opening up the can of paint and discovering that you need a new cutting-in brush before you can do anything, or getting ready to paint and forgetting that you haven’t taped the ceiling off yet.

Painting — From Color Choice To Finishing Touches

As you go through your painting journey, from finding inspiration to getting feedback to actually doing the work, you’ll probably find something interesting: it wasn’t nearly as big a deal as you thought.

In fact, by the time you’re done, you may very well be wondering what all the fuss was about, why you had to read an article on the subject, and why you didn’t do this months or even years ago.

In all fairness, painting can be very intimidating on the semi-gloss face of it. Especially if it’s a matter of tackling a big project, like the entirety of the interior of your house.

Hopefully, with the tips and information in this article, you’re already well on your way to the feeling of a job well done.

Happy painting!