Choosing Paint Colors - A Snap With These Designer Tips

Feel lost when it comes to color?

A lot of us in Western Culture are, with good reason, scared of color. Why? Because trends over the last century have said that muted neutrals, whites, grays and blacks mean sophistication.

These Designer color techniques will take the mystery out of choosing paint colors.

Some ideas die hard but, take it from me, color has come back with a vengeance...because color is as exciting as life itself. Be real and authentic. Use those colors you love. The bottom line is it's up to you how you use - or don't use - color.

Choose a Monochromatic color scheme if you're going for a soothing atmosphere.

While Monochromatic means colors in the same family, it doesn't have to mean beige and more beige.

These schemes can be subtle and subdued when using lighter, muted color values, or dramatic and daring if you use rich, saturated hues. A monochromatic scheme might go with a deep purple on an accent wall and a purple base color skewed to a much lighter value on the ceiling and other walls. Shades of lavender and maroon can be worked in through fabrics, floor-covering and other paint accents.

By the way, purple is the "hot" (as in hip, cool, in) color right now. Oh, and if you're skeptical as to how much color affects the way you feel, research has shown that purple can actually lower blood pressure. It's purple, blue, green and the hues on that end of the color wheel that have that soothing influence. These colors and monochromatic color schemes are great choices for bedrooms, bathrooms and other spaces where you want to create a soothing, rejuvenating mood.

Contrasting Colors generate excitement and a warm social feeling. Remember these are the hues that lie opposite each other on the color wheel.

Contrasting schemes are great for bustling hubs of activity like Kitchens and Family Rooms...Interestingly enough, these contrasting colors are also referred to as Complementary colors.

Hey, opposites attract! So it's no wonder these contrasting/complementary colors are pleasing to the eye. Try pairing some wonderful greens with a rich terracotta, or maybe golds with deep purple. Are you getting the sense that purple is in?

Designer Tip: When working with contrasting hues give one prominence - 60% or more - to avoid a frenetic, edgy feel.

Analogous Color Schemes work with several distinct hues that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel.

As with Contrasting/Complementary colors, if you use one color more prominently than the others you'll create a more pleasing palette.

A Triad Color Scheme is fun and contemporary...It uses any three colors equally spaced from each other on the color wheel. Think orange, green and purple. Use these colors in varying proportions--a dominant color, a secondary hue and an accent color for pop. These schemes are awesome in deep, sharp colors for kids' rooms...Or try it in "off" hues for a rich more traditional effect.

What are your favorite colors? Are you stimulated by the way color is utilized in a certain Interior Design Style, like the embrace of bold, bright color in Mexican Interior Design?

Does your home celebrate your geographic location? Do you live in the saturated green of the northern woods...or, in the stark beauty of a desert environment with its golds and red tinged hues?

Do you already own Art that will be going into the overall Interior Design of the room? What about existing furnishings?

These are all great places to find a baseline to begin choosing your paint color palette. Remember you're working with paint. If you don't like your choice once it's up, it's relatively easy and inexpensive to paint over it.

I always buy, and suggest that you do too, a small "tester" amount of paint first. And, I always try out several hues. I've been surprised more than a few times by deciding on a color from a tester pot that I grabbed as an afterthought on my way out the paint store door.

You can paint test patches on your wall or on a scrap of wood or wallboard.

Don't forget that light matters!

Make sure you take the time to see how your color looks on different walls, in both natural and artificial light and at different times of day. Be sure to evaluate your color choices during the times you'll mostly be using the room. For instance, if it's your bedroom and you work all day, I suggest you make your decisions looking at samples at night and early in the morning.

Have a terrific time choosing paint colors for your Interior Design plan.

A working Interior Designer for over 30 years, Kathy LaMontagne has a passion for helping people express their unique personalities in their homes. For more Interior Design ideas, decorating advice and project suggestions visit Kathy at http://InteriorDesignDetective.com/

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