Color Matters May 12, 2008
In my past 10 years as an interior designer, I have probably been on more paint color consults than anything else. The reasons: choosing a paint color can be overwhelming - Porter Paints alone has close to 2,000 colors in their collection. People want to “use color”, but in the long run, play it too safe and end up with a color that is too light or the wrong hue.
A few fresh coats of paint is what I call ”instant decorating”. A new wall color can change the way our furniture and accessories look. Paint is affordable and if you have confidence and you’re a fairly skilled painter, you can tackle the project yourself. But if time is pressing or you have some high areas requiring special scaffolding or ladders, and you happen to have some extra cash, consider hiring a professional painter. Most offer free estimates after looking at the job - ask this when contacting them - and will sometimes include the paint itself in their bid. Confirm that they have insurance and ask for references.
Now you are ready to look at some color ideas, but not so fast…..first you must prep the area properly before painting.
PREP BEFORE PAINTING
~Remove everything from the room. This is a great time to edit tired, old accessories and artwork. I always assess the current light fixtures and lamps when re-painting - many need updating and this is the time to do it. See my Lighting category.
~Repair small holes or nicks in walls with a little putty or mud, sand lightly a few times before painting.
~Do the doors and trim need painting? Think about a high gloss black or deep green color for trim instead of the usual white. Don’t think you have to paint the doors and door trim the same color as the base or crown moulding - mix it up a bit.
Now you are ready to begin looking at colors.
CHOOSING A PAINT COLOR
~ If you need inspiration, pull colors from sofas, chairs, artwork, and flooring/rugs that will be used in the room. Also, keep in mind the wall colors in adjoining rooms. Take as many of these “inspiration samples” as you can with you to the paint store when researching for your perfect room color.
~Change it up! Try a butter yellow if you’ve had a deep rich red, or a bright new green, like Cress Green from Porter Paints.
~Think in terms of cool or warm as you look around at the rest of your rooms, do you have cool light maple cabinetry and brushed nickel hardware? Or warm brazilian cherry floors and antique gold harware. Let these pre-existing materials guide you toward the correct color hue.
~Cooler colors in paint decks are usually towards the front of the deck, warmer tones to the back. Use the color cards that are to the right and left of the card you like to guide you as well, and offer even more color choices. Also, look at the color chip at the very top and very bottom of the card you like. If you are looking for, say, a neutral tan and the very bottom chip on the card looks “purple” keep looking, you’re in the wrong spot. Be careful with beige, sand, and taupe-they will tend to look purple-ish. Also, some reds can look pink and some grays are very blue undertoned.
~I rarely use the very top color or lightest on the paint card-it usually ends up looking white.
~Don’t pay attention to the NAME of the color! (Only if it happens to work for you).
~I always recommend eggshell finish, unless you are painting plaster walls. Eggshell has a slight sheen-like an eggshell- and is very durable and wipes clean much easier than flat which has a chalky feel. For trim and doors, use a satin or semi-gloss, or gloss. I have seen some walls recently that were done in a high gloss-it looks very striking, but your walls need to be in great shape to pull this off.
~Buying small sample sizes of your paint color ideas is a great way to make your final decision. Get these samples in the eggshell finish and apply a small square of each color on the walls in several spots - behind a picture, next to the trim - and look at the colors during the day and at night. Please use two coats of the color on each of your sample spots. This goes for the walls as well, once you’ve started painting. To acheive the true color representation of a color, two coats must be applied, not “just one heavy coat”.
~Ceilings-paint these the wall color. This is a tuff sell for my clients, but ALL ended up loving the idea and so far none have changed it! Ceilings are ‘5th walls’ and painting the ceiling the same as the wall color wraps the room in color-this is especially true for vaulted ceilings or to pop crown mold or trim pieces, plus it saves time and money not having to cut-in! It will end up looking like a slightly different color anyway, due to lighting hues.
~ Use bolder, daring colors in powder rooms or dining rooms where you don’t spend lots of time.
Paint is a small investment with a huge return. A new paint color in a room or area allows you to change the mood of a room, thereby affecting our mood and feelings. So be patient and try some colors out- step out of your box- and start living the lifestyle you’ve been dreaming of - all with a little paint!
Happy painting and let me hear from you with your latest projects and photos.
Carolyn
