Colour Your Home: How To Select The Right Paint Tones

There is no hard and fast rules when it comes to painting your home’s interior, but there are a number of things to consider before taking the leap with a paint roller and some colour. Here we share expert advice to help you choose the right paint colours for your space.

If you’re planning a paint party, it’s time to pay attention. Before choosing the right paint shade, consider your home’s history, architecture and layout. These are a great starting point before you begin.

Your home’s history may help to guide your paint colour choices. It’s important to respect and honour the history of your space so as to maximise it’s look and layout. For instance, softer shades and neutrals often work best in traditional settings. In fact, softer hues are both restful to the eye and can be more sympathetic to historic buildings. In the same way, you can often get away with louder, deeper and more provocative colours in a modern space.

Colour is not your only consideration either. Remember, modern paint options come in a variety of finishes and sheens. Will you choose a matte or gloss finish? If you’re painting a high traffic area such as a play room, or will most likely get grease on the wall such as in a kitchen, opt for high gloss sheen as you can easily wipe the walls down. High gloss is also great for trim.

Test out colours before you commit. Make the most of samples and catalogues from your local hardware store or paint supplier. Take swabs home and be sure to paint areas on your walls to give you the right impression. Often, paint on a page will not look the same on your wall. It’s therefore key to test the colours and be sure that you love it before you paint your space.

As a tip, you should remember the colour wheel and that certain shades play off better against others. Painting with cool colours such as blues, greens and purples makes small rooms appear larger and more airy while colours such as reds, yellows and oranges will give a room a more vibrant appearance.

Colours also affect moods. Natural shades such as green and blue are often more soothing and calming while brighter shades of red or orange are more dramatic and striking and can enhance a sense of excitement and drama.

If in doubt, consider colours that speak to your personality and taste. You will need to live with these colours in your home, so it would be best to choose shades that you absolutely love.