Choosing Paint Colours: I’ll have what she’s having….

Guest Post from Amanda Hutchinson with Lot83 Design. 

Have you ever walked into a friends’ house and fallen in love with their paint colour?  You think to yourself… this is exactly what I want in my house.  You get the brand and swatch name, run to your nearest paint store, purchase the paint, and begin the transformation… only to be disappointed.  You double check that you got the right colour and think to yourself… what’s going on?  While sometimes you can use the same paint colour and have equal results… there are a number of factors that affect the appearance of colour on your walls.

  1. choosing the right paint colors for your bedroom Natural Light – What is the position of your home?  Do you have lots of windows?  Different light sources can cast a different hue on your walls.  For example, if you have a north facing room the light will be cool and often have a blue tinge to it… causing that wall colour to take on those characteristics.  
  2. Artificial Light – Halogen? LED? Incandescent? All light types cast a different colour.  These days LED are taking over the market.  LED bulbs come in a variety of colours from cool blue to warm white.  Depending on what you’ve chosen for your home – those colours will affect the appearance of your paint.  
  3. Existing Finishes – What colour is your flooring?  What colour are your main pieces of furniture or window coverings?  Colour is relative.  These items take up so much space in a room and will affect how you see the colour on your walls.  A yellow/orange tone hardwood floor will have a profound affect on your paint colour vs a dark neutral carpet.  Everything needs to be considered.  
  4. Existing Wall Colour – What colour are you covering up?  Are you painting on white or on bright yellow?  Properly preparing the surface will ensure that the new paint you are applying will be true to colour.

So where do we go from here?  While you may love the paint colour in your neighbours’ house it’s best to use it as an inspiration for the type of colour look you want.  If you’ve decided on “light grey” then get a number of swatches falling under that category.  Take them home and look at them in different rooms, at different times of day, etc.  If this feels completely overwhelming to you then book a colour consult.  We will make sure you have the best colour to enhance your home’s finishes and furnishings, ensuring you get the look you want. 

 

Amanda Hutchinson is the owner of Lot83 Design.  She has over 15 years experience in interior decorating and design.  You can check her out at www.lot83.ca.

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