There are a lot of different ways that you can pick the right paint for your home. Whether you are painting the interiors or exteriors, you’ll find that there’s a lot to consider. What does space need in terms if light – is a dark space that needs brightening or a large space needing a feature wall paint to help ground the space? Are you painting an exterior on a heritage home – for example painting a Queenslander?
The following guide will help you figure out how to get the right option for your interior and exterior. Choosing the best house painting colour can take a great deal of time. You could spend a lot of effort sorting through samples, looking at different styles, and in the end, still be unhappy with the final result. Make sure you don’t select the wrong paint colour.
Here are a few simple tips and tricks that will help you decide on the best paint colour for your home.
Don’t Rush Through The Process
The first thing that you need to take into consideration is simple, don’t rush through the process. It’s tempting to get an idea and run with it. Some people go with “gut instinct”, for example. But when they start to see the colours on the walls and on their exteriors, they do not seem to enjoy the final product. It’s best not to rush into anything, as the selection process can take a little more time than just picking out a “favourite” colour and then painting it on your home.
If your favourite colour is green, there are hundreds of hues to green to choose from. along with textures and finishes Take the time to paint samples on your wall – the sample never looks the same as on your wall. Get a colour wheel and see all the different hues of green, you can pick accents and trims from colour wheels. And then take this to the painter’s to mix for you.
Online Design Research
With the power of the internet, you can easily find pictures of different paint styles, design elements, and much more. Look at sites that are about design, paint, and have a variety of different tips, and tricks working through the various elements until you see something that inspires you. Finding inspiration online is not hard. You can easily find images through any major search engine, and then decide which is best for you.
Don’t just bookmark images, mind you. Take the images to your painter and they can advise on the best match. In the world of paint saying neutral off-white can be referring to hundreds of colours not just your idea of off-white.
Start With A Neutral Colour Point First
Don’t just go wild. It’s easy to get into colours that pop, and that looks amazing. Don’t go that far just yet. As you start to break down the options you have overall, take time to look into neutral solutions first. Focus on the simplified options from one colour, then move along the spectrum. As you do that, you will see that there’s a lot of whites, reds, oranges, browns, greens, and so much more than you can contrast, mix and focus on.
Just remember, a solid colour of blue, red, or any pigment can be contrasted into a neutral point that makes any room or exterior pop. However, start with neutral elements first, then move away from it depending on the look and style you want your home to have.
Get Samples and Paint Pots
As you look at various house painting designs and colours, make sure that you get samples. This is going to help you not only get a feel for how the colour looks in your space, but it will also allow you to look at what things appear like when they are dry. Choose any space that you want to paint, and just strike a few areas with your brush, and the sample paints. Then compare and contrast based on that.
As you use samples, you can mix, match, and invest very little in the bigger paint process. This is one way to test out a lot of options and before you invest heavily in any paint colour scheme. You may find that your best ideas, are going to come after you test a few paint solutions out first. Then again, you may go back to the drawing board if you find that the colours just don’t seem right.
Think of Furnishings and Accent Pieces
If you’re stumped, or you perhaps want to get a little better feel for the colours that will make your home look great, focus on furnishings and accent pieces. When in doubt, get a few pictures of furnishings, then juxtapose them with the colours that you want to paint with. By doing this, you’ll be able to test paints and see whether or not it matches the furnishings that you want, and can see the visual design flow of any room. Thinking of furnishings and accents within your home will help you get the right paint colour.
The Sheen Helps With Choices
At this point, you should have a few ideas of what visual design flow you want. But don’t let this final note pass you. Focus on the sheen and finish that you want. You can find flat, flat enamel, eggshell enamel, satin enamel, semi-gloss, and hi-gloss are all paint finishes that will either make or break your paint job.
When in doubt, take time to look for a good paint colour catalogue. These will often have design articles and new products and colours. They can help narrow down your choice and usually provide great paint sample pictures.
If you still find it difficult to decide on paint colours – get a colour consultation. Often when you are hiring a painter they provide this service. If you are DIY house painting then you can pay for a colour consultation service or contact QPaint to find out more about your options.
