Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a homeowner like the task of selecting a paint color for a room, or worse yet, several rooms.


Homeowners are not alone in this.  Even as a seasoned design professional, I wring my hands a bit when called to help with this task.  Over the years I have learned a few tricks to making the right paint selections and I am happy to pass them on.


  • Pick the paint color last
  • Clients and contractors always ask at the beginning of the project about the paint color.  I like to wait a bit before selecting the paint.  The design schematics have to build and evolve.  Fabrics need to be selected, color direction in play and mood established.  This takes a little time.  Be patient and the wall color will start to become obvious.

  • Color evokes emotion; decide what mood you want to set
  • Do you want your room to be dramatic or soothing?  Is the space modern or traditional?  Dark rich colors evoke a feeling of drama and dimension, while soft subtle color are more soothing.  White, taupe, and gray tones lend toward the modern while gold and jewel tones feel more traditional.
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  • When painting several rooms think about the overall palette and color flow  
  • Do you want warm, buttery rich colors or fresh, crisp, citrus-like colors?  Think about what colors make you feel good and go from there.  Often a fabric, rug or piece of artwork will offer good inspiration for this.  It helps to select paint colors for the central core of the house (foyer, stairway, halls) from one series on the paint fan deck.  Select 2-3 different hues in a series to establish a gradation of color.  This sets the foundation of the whole color scheme and you can build from there.  I often paint a secondary room that can be seen from the foyer, a stronger, more dramatic color.  That hint of the color can be seen from the front door and creates interest and flow.
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  • Just keep painting
  • It never fails…the painter arrives and barely gets one coat of paint on the wall, when my phone rings.  The client is nervous about the color.  My response is always the same…”Just keep painting”.  I say this for two reasons.  First, change is hard.  It takes time to adjust to a new color.  Second, two coats of paint are necessary to really “see” the color.  It is too soon to throw in the towel.  Just keep painting!

  • Color is beautiful
  • Don’t be afraid of it!  This is especially true for a small space.  You cannot make a small room feel big…so go for drama instead.

  • Don’t forget the ceiling
  • For me, the ceiling is the fifth wall and it is often ignored.  Go for a spot of color or a lot of color if you are bold.  Homeowners spend a great deal of money for crown molding or decorative ceiling treatments, only to have them fade away because there is no contrast.  If you want your moldings to “pop”, do not ignore the ceiling.
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  • Throw away those little test jars and swatches
  • These tools will drive you crazy.  Hire a professional instead.  I cannot tell you how many times I have been called to someone’s home for a paint consultation to find various “test” paint colors all over the wall.  The poor homeowner is frustrated and the painter is on hold.  If you are not confident with selecting your paint colors, consider investing the nominal fee to have a professional help you.

  • When in doubt, go deeper
  • This is my hands down, best advice.  When trying to decide between two paint colors, go to the deeper tone.  It never fails.

  • Don’t let kids pick paint colors
  • Children see color differently than we do.  To them the perfect pink is the color of Pepto Bismol.  Seriously, I have seen it many times.  Children like “Crayola” colors and there is nothing wrong with that.  However, those colors are very intense and do not always translate well to wall color.  The best way to handle this is to let the child select their color and go 2-3 shades lighter.  Chose a few accessories or bed linens in the bright tone and all will be right.  Most children will never even notice.  Another solution for kid’s rooms is to treat one wall as an accent wall.  Choose a deeper, more intense color for one wall and paint the other three a compatible softer shade.
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Nothing changes a room like a fresh coat of paint and there is no better value in your decorating budget.  Hopefully these few tips will help you select paint colors with confidence.