Why does one space instantly feel inviting while another feels off? Why are we drawn to certain decor more than others? And why can the same room feel completely different after a simple change in color? As HGTV.com reports, color, whether used in architecture, interiors or everyday objects, accounts for as much as 60 percent of our response to a space or item.
The influence of color is often described as color psychology. Its effects are both subtle and powerful, impacting us physically and emotionally. Color doesn’t create a simple equation between a shade and a specific mood, yet we respond to it everywhere we go. It’s no surprise, then, that choosing the right paint color from countless options can sometimes feel overwhelming.
HGTV Magazine is here with some tips on how to use even the most vibrant colors around your house that you won’t regret.
1. Think About Your Mood
When selecting a color, think about the mood you want to create. In a bedroom, should the space feel restful and soothing, or dramatic and intimate? Soft, cool colors and neutrals tend to create a calm atmosphere, while stronger colors add drama.
For a dining room, do you want the room to feel lively and sociable or more formal and reserved? Warmer, brighter colors often encourage conversation and energy, while deeper blue-greens and neutrals create a more formal look.
In kids’ rooms, decide whether you want the space to feel active and playful or calm and organized. Be careful not to overstimulate children with intensely bright hues. In some cases, very bright colors can contribute to restlessness or irritability.
2. Pay Attention to Lighting
Paint stores often use light boxes to demonstrate how paint shades change under different lighting conditions. Natural daylight shows the truest version of a hue, while warm artificial lighting can emphasize yellow undertones. Cooler lighting — such as fluorescent or white LED bulbs — can make colors feel crisper or slightly bluish. Because lighting shifts how paint reads in a space, a bold shade that looks perfect on a chip may feel too intense in a sun-filled room or much darker in a space with little natural light.
“Lighting is a crucial factor when deciding on paint colors,” says Molly Torres Portnof of DATE Interiors. “Different types of lighting — natural, overhead or lamp lighting — and even the direction a room faces can make hues and sheens look very different throughout the day.”
3. Learn the Color Terms
It helps to understand the terminology used to describe color. Here are some key words to be familiar with before selecting paint shades.
- Hue: The basic name of a color, such as red, blue or yellow.
- Value: How light or dark a color appears. In paint, this is often reflected in its Light Reflectance Value (LRV), a number that indicates how much light a color reflects. Higher LRVs appear lighter, while lower LRVs appear darker.
- Saturation: The strength or purity of a color. As red becomes pink, for example, the hue becomes less saturated.
- Intensity: The brightness or vividness of a color. Pure colors tend to appear more intense than blended colors such as yellow-green.
4. Test Your Color Choice
Before committing to a color, test it in your space. Paint large swatches directly on the wall, or use sample boards or removable sample sheets so you can move the color around the room. Place the samples where you plan to use the color, on the wall, trim or ceiling, to see how it looks in that exact spot. Observe the color at different times of day to see how changing light affects the shade.
Want to know a top designer trick? Add color to molding, baseboards and door and window frames. It has the power to take any room from average to awe-inspiring.
5. Start Small
If you’re not sure where to begin with color, start small. Try a powder room, closet or small hallway. If you’re painting the space yourself, choose an area that can be finished quickly so you can see the results sooner and decide whether it’s a color you’d want to use elsewhere in your home. If you like the result, consider using the color, or a slightly deeper or lighter shade, in a larger space to add variation. Think of the process as an experiment.
To get started, pull a favorite color from something you already love, such as a piece of artwork, a rug, tableware or other decor. Use that shade as your main color or as an accent.
Color can cultivate major design moments in itty-bitty areas, and we’ve got a dozen brilliant palettes that prove it.
6. Walk Into Another Room
When choosing colors, think about how they will look from one room to the next. Walls often come into view from adjacent spaces, so consider how colors interact when seen together. Aim for a palette that flows naturally from room to room, especially in open floor plans or spaces connected by hallways and doorways.
“Colors throughout a home don’t have to be identical, but they do need to feel connected,” says Ali Frye of Ali Frye Interiors. “When palettes are thoughtfully layered, each room can stand on its own while still contributing to a cohesive visual story. That harmony is what creates a natural, easy flow from space to space.”
7. Follow the Color Wheel
The color wheel is a great reference tool for modifying and intensifying two or more colors. For example: Red and green, which are complementary colors (opposite on the color wheel), are most intense when used together. You may be surprised at how many combinations function beautifully together, and you may even find entirely new color palettes that catch your eye.
The color wheel also illustrates the visual temperature of a color. Draw a line from the yellow-green mark on the color wheel all the way down to the red-violet; you’ll see that all the colors on the left are warm and the colors on the right are cool.
8. Consider Different Paint Finishes
Keep paint finishes in mind when selecting a color. Sheen can affect how the color appears. Glossier finishes reflect more light, which can make a color look brighter, while flatter finishes absorb light and often appear softer.
You can also use this effect to your advantage. For example, try an eggshell or matte finish on the walls and the same color in a satin or semigloss finish on the trim. Even when the same color is used, the change in sheen will make it look slightly different on each surface.
9. Add Interest With Modern Paint Techniques
When selecting a color, consider how it will be applied. Today’s paint techniques can add depth and visual interest to a space. Color drenching, for example, involves painting the walls, trim and ceiling the same shade for a rich, immersive look. Color capping extends color from the wall onto the ceiling to create a bold, graphic effect. Textured finishes such as limewash can also soften a space and add subtle movement while letting the color remain the focal point.
A few guidelines can help: Color capping tends to work best with darker colors near the ceiling, while limewash is typically most effective with nonwhite hues. With color drenching, almost any visible shade will work.
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