Five Things NOT to do When Choosing Paint Colors for Your Home
Today I’m flipping the script on choosing colors for your home. Instead of providing guidance on what to do, I’ll focus on what NOT to do. What will happen if you do the things I advise against? Well, I may show up at your door proclaiming to be commissioner of the color police to publicly shame you, although that’s rather unlikely. But not impossible. You've been warned. Of course, it’s your home and you should do what you want. My hope is these “negative” tips help you avoid some common pitfalls and achieve positive results. We’re both looking for the same solution – for you to love where you live!
Five Paint Color Mistakes
1. Choosing too many colors. While I’m all about color and filling your home with colors you love, there’s such a thing as too much. If you introduce a bunch of different colors, the end result can look fragmented, leaving you feeling fragmented. That’s not a good feeling. When it comes to putting color on your walls, less can definitely be more. Remember your goal is to create flow throughout your space so choose wisely using restraint so your color palette will transfer smoothly from one room to the next.
2. Rushing your decisions. Painting is the best way to update your home’s look and feel. However, for best results you should treat it like a process over time, not a one-time quickie decision. Mull it over. Take time (within limits) to contemplate and experiment to help you make the best color decisions and help you avoid having to move and cover your stuff…AGAIN! Your time is valuable, so aim to get it right the first time by being thoughtful along the way. Slowing your roll is also a good way to slow the flow of money from your bank account caused by having to rework your space multiple times.
3. Ignoring colors you love. When working with clients, I find they know what their favorite colors are and have a good idea of the colors they would like to see in their home, but they worry that’s not the right choice. Remember, your home is YOUR home, so if you love chartreuse and want that paint color, choose chartreuse. Don’t worry about what others might think or what’s trendy. Color is personal and should reflect your preferences and not others.
4. Forgetting to check undertones. I talk about this one a lot because I see this challenge ALL THE TIME. People either don’t know about the potential negative impact of undertones or they forget about them. Avoid this mistake by remembering to paint a sizeable sample of the color you want and examine it next to your flooring, baseboards, furniture, and window treatments, etc. Holding the paint sample next to these items will reveal any sneaky undertones that may be lurking in the color you’ve chosen (okay, so in my head I just heard my husband claim “dibs” on Lurking Undertones as a band name). Do NOT skip this step. Trust me when I tell you that that beige that you love in the paint store could suddenly look pink on the walls of your living room because the red tone on your woodwork brings out the red undertones in your paint. The pain is real.
5. Bonus Tip: Avoid placing multiple samples next to each other. Related to Tip #4, Tip #5 is especially true if you are weighing very different color options…like say blues or yellows. Placing them right next to each other can be distracting and make your choice much harder. You'll want to paint your samples on white posterboard so you can have a good size sample and easily move it around the space as needed. It also allows you to test one color, step back, analyze it, then do the same with the next color.
Color Choice Conclusions
Choosing paint colors can be stressful. It seems so permanent, like such a big commitment. That’ why so many people opt for white walls. This makes me sad -- unless you truly love white. Having colors we love surround us in our homes impacts our mood and mental health. It helps give us that special feeling walking through the front door at the end the day. It makes our homes feel special and personal, so don’t shy away from color. I say, “color for all!” Just learn a little up front, then choose wisely.
Now, what will you do next to love where you live?
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