Paint colors

By far the question I've heard repeated over and over again, is, "How do you choose the right paint color?" Paint colors are tricky. You can think that you know exactly how a color will look from the swatch and then get it in a room and it changes colors on you.

The best way to pick a color is to first determine the mood you a going for. Most people are happiest with colors that are subdued, neutral, and easy to live with. Grayed down browns, greens, whites, creams, and blue-grays are the most common, and generally relax and soothe the eye.

Most people make the mistake of picking primary, vibrant hues that energize, only to realize that after a few months, they are sick of them.

Here are few ideas on colors:

Blues- A little blue goes a long way. Always go more gray and light than you think you want. (There are always exceptions, however. A navy or royal blue can be elegant when used correctly). Grays usually have a base of blue, green, or brown. It may look gray on the swatch and change colors when you get it on the wall next to the other colors in your room.

Red- probably one of the most overused colors (in Oklahoma). The shade or hue is key. Reds have a cool or warm undertone (mixed with more blue (cool) or yellow (warm). Reds have a tendency to make a room "hot" and therefore uncomfortable to be in for long periods of time. You usually have to paint several coats of red to make it solid. Otherwise, you see your brush strokes and it goes on opaque.

Yellow- It's more difficult to make pure yellow look sophisticated. Try a light beige with yellow undertone (cream color). It will look more yellow on your wall than you might think.

Greens- probably one of my favorites when grayed down and neutral. Gray-greens seem to go with everything and make the room inviting and warm. I have used a shade of green in every one of my houses in several rooms. They are sophisticated, versatile, and look good with almost any other color.

Whites- Some people love them and won't paint with any other color. There are, however, a million of choices. Look at a paint store at all the whites they have. This isn't an accident. There are right and wrong whites depending on the room. Bring several "white" swatches home and hold them next to your flooring and woodwork. The undertone of the white will either make what you have look fresh or blah. They can make the rest of your accessories, art, and furniture pop when used correctly. Also, a little bit of red in your white will look pink on the wall. Be careful of the undertones in your whites.

Light colors open up spaces. Paint your hallways and small rooms light light colors. It will visually make your room bigger. (same thing with ceilings)

In general- get a small paint can of the color you are thinking of painting your room. Paint swatches of color next to flooring, woodwork, key pieces of furniture and look at it in varying lighting. (Lamps, natural light, overhead lights, etc.). Make sure the light bouncing on the grass outside doesn't change the khaki you picked to an awful shade of neon green when you open the blinds.

Look at the swatch next to other swatches and see it change colors, recede, or pop out. The mix of colors in a room is what makes a room beautiful or ugly. There are so many choices out there; don't be afraid to fail and try try again! (You can also ask a friend their opinion of the color you like, and then paint your room with that color anyway. Everyone has an opinion, but as long as you like it, use it!)

Welcome

Welcome everyone to a decorating blog. I'm a busy mother of three and stay-at-home mom, so forgive me if my posts are few and far between. I'll try to update with advice, opinions, and photos of the projects I am working on.