Helpful Tips for Choosing Colours...
1) Questions to ask yourself...
What tend to be your favourite colours?
Which colours do you like the least?
Are there any favourite pieces of furniture or artwork in the room that
the wall colour should complement?
Do you generally prefer the brighter, airy look of lighter colours,
or the warm, cozy, elegant look of darker colours?
2) Find ideas and inspiration by browsing through magazines, walking
through your neighbourhood and observing other homes, from
brochures with sample palates available at your local paint store, or
from fabrics in your home.
3) Try to tie elements in the room together by having the colour either
match or complement the floor, furniture, curtains, or other decor in a
way that harmonizes and blends them into the overall design. A general
design principle is to have a dominant colour, and a few accent colours.
4) If you're at all unsure how a colour will look, don't just pick one and
hope you'll like it. Paint a large sample on a wall, ideally one that
receives direct window light, as that will show the colour most
accurately, and leave it overnight, so that you can observe it under
various light conditions. Colours can look very different from natural
daylight to artifical light at night, from sunny to overcast days, and even
from one wall to another under the same lighting. Colour perception can
also be influenced by other decor elements in the room, such as the
carpeting or flooring, furniture, and window treatments. So remember
- if in doubt, try it out!
5) Matt finishes tend to hide wall flaws better than glossier finishes. This
is because they tend to minimize shadows cast by artificial light,
whereas glossier finishes tend to emphasize these shadows by causing
the light to "bounce around" the uneven surfaces caused by wall
blemishes.
6) Lighter, brighter, cooler colours tend to make rooms appear larger,
whereas darker, warmer colours make them seem smaller or cozier.
7) The more contrast between wall and trim colours, the more the trim
will "pop". This is also true for wall colours and furniture.
8) Try painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls in smaller or
peripheral rooms, such as bath and laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways,
and basements, even smaller kitchens and bedrooms, expecially when
painting with lighter colours. This has the effect of making the ceiling
disappear, making the room seem larger. This can also have something
of a decluttering effect, as these rooms already to tend to look busy
with cupboards, shelving, doorways etc., resulting in a cleaner,
seamless blending of the walls and ceiling. Painting the trim and
baseboards the same colour as the walls can have a similar effect.
9) Another technique you may want to consider is something called
"colour blocking", which entails painting one wall in a room an accent
colour, and the other three walls a secondary, complementary colour.
Choose as wall which is already the main focal point in your sightline as
you enter the room, and which perhaps had a predominant feature,
such as a mantle to which the eye will be lead by the accent colour
surrounding it.
10) Generally speaking, north and east-facing windows tend to bring in a
cooler, bluer light, with little or no direct sunlight (east-facing window
do get direct morning light, which still tends to be cool and delicate),
whereas south and west-facing windows tend to receive more direct,
warmer light, especially as the day goes on. This is basically due to the
angles at which the sun's light waves are refracted when they hit the
earth's surface.
You can either complement or contrast the directional effects of this
natural light depending on your desired outcome. So, for example, you
could complement a north-facing room's naturally cool light with cooler
colours, such as blues, greys, bluish greens, or whites, or compensate
with warmer colours such as the deeper reds, yellows, and oranges. A
paint colour's relative warmth or coolness is dictated by it's undertones,
which you can determine by asking your paint store what main
pigments other than the main colour are going into the mix. A
predominance of blue, black, or grey pigments suggests a cool colour,
whereas reds or yellows tend to result in a warmer hue.
Bear in mind that these are only general principles of how light affects
colour, so go with your gut instinct and try out your colours - at the end
of the day, only you will know if you're happy with the final result.
11) The pros & cons of colour...here is an interesting list that explains
why you may like or dislike a given colour:
Blue: Can be viewed as tranquil, calm and fresh...
...or cold, utilitarian and depressing.
Brown: A colour of nature, stable, comforting and elegant...
...or bland or melancholy.
Red: The colour of passion, stimulating the senses and suggesting
strength...
...or restlessness and anger.
Green: Reflects nature, renewal and harmony...
...or, depending on the tone, the colour can range from
being garish (bright and loud) to very drab and serious
(army green).
Yellow: The colour of sun, optimism and energy...
...or it can be overstimulating and irritating if too
intense.
Pink: Evokes the feeling of femininity, innocence and happiness..
...or it can feel overly feminine or even medicinal,
depending on its tone.
Purple: Carries a history of being regal, sophisticated and powerful...
...or it can be read as too feminine or playful (think
faux animal prints).
White: Suggests a space that is pure, uncluttered and fresh...
...or cold, lifeless and unimaginative.
Black: Sophisticated, sleek and strong; usually an accent...
...too much black can make a space feel heavy and
claustrophobic.
1) Questions to ask yourself...
What tend to be your favourite colours?
Which colours do you like the least?
Are there any favourite pieces of furniture or artwork in the room that
the wall colour should complement?
Do you generally prefer the brighter, airy look of lighter colours,
or the warm, cozy, elegant look of darker colours?
2) Find ideas and inspiration by browsing through magazines, walking
through your neighbourhood and observing other homes, from
brochures with sample palates available at your local paint store, or
from fabrics in your home.
3) Try to tie elements in the room together by having the colour either
match or complement the floor, furniture, curtains, or other decor in a
way that harmonizes and blends them into the overall design. A general
design principle is to have a dominant colour, and a few accent colours.
4) If you're at all unsure how a colour will look, don't just pick one and
hope you'll like it. Paint a large sample on a wall, ideally one that
receives direct window light, as that will show the colour most
accurately, and leave it overnight, so that you can observe it under
various light conditions. Colours can look very different from natural
daylight to artifical light at night, from sunny to overcast days, and even
from one wall to another under the same lighting. Colour perception can
also be influenced by other decor elements in the room, such as the
carpeting or flooring, furniture, and window treatments. So remember
- if in doubt, try it out!
5) Matt finishes tend to hide wall flaws better than glossier finishes. This
is because they tend to minimize shadows cast by artificial light,
whereas glossier finishes tend to emphasize these shadows by causing
the light to "bounce around" the uneven surfaces caused by wall
blemishes.
6) Lighter, brighter, cooler colours tend to make rooms appear larger,
whereas darker, warmer colours make them seem smaller or cozier.
7) The more contrast between wall and trim colours, the more the trim
will "pop". This is also true for wall colours and furniture.
8) Try painting the ceiling the same colour as the walls in smaller or
peripheral rooms, such as bath and laundry rooms, stairwells, hallways,
and basements, even smaller kitchens and bedrooms, expecially when
painting with lighter colours. This has the effect of making the ceiling
disappear, making the room seem larger. This can also have something
of a decluttering effect, as these rooms already to tend to look busy
with cupboards, shelving, doorways etc., resulting in a cleaner,
seamless blending of the walls and ceiling. Painting the trim and
baseboards the same colour as the walls can have a similar effect.
9) Another technique you may want to consider is something called
"colour blocking", which entails painting one wall in a room an accent
colour, and the other three walls a secondary, complementary colour.
Choose as wall which is already the main focal point in your sightline as
you enter the room, and which perhaps had a predominant feature,
such as a mantle to which the eye will be lead by the accent colour
surrounding it.
10) Generally speaking, north and east-facing windows tend to bring in a
cooler, bluer light, with little or no direct sunlight (east-facing window
do get direct morning light, which still tends to be cool and delicate),
whereas south and west-facing windows tend to receive more direct,
warmer light, especially as the day goes on. This is basically due to the
angles at which the sun's light waves are refracted when they hit the
earth's surface.
You can either complement or contrast the directional effects of this
natural light depending on your desired outcome. So, for example, you
could complement a north-facing room's naturally cool light with cooler
colours, such as blues, greys, bluish greens, or whites, or compensate
with warmer colours such as the deeper reds, yellows, and oranges. A
paint colour's relative warmth or coolness is dictated by it's undertones,
which you can determine by asking your paint store what main
pigments other than the main colour are going into the mix. A
predominance of blue, black, or grey pigments suggests a cool colour,
whereas reds or yellows tend to result in a warmer hue.
Bear in mind that these are only general principles of how light affects
colour, so go with your gut instinct and try out your colours - at the end
of the day, only you will know if you're happy with the final result.
11) The pros & cons of colour...here is an interesting list that explains
why you may like or dislike a given colour:
Blue: Can be viewed as tranquil, calm and fresh...
...or cold, utilitarian and depressing.
Brown: A colour of nature, stable, comforting and elegant...
...or bland or melancholy.
Red: The colour of passion, stimulating the senses and suggesting
strength...
...or restlessness and anger.
Green: Reflects nature, renewal and harmony...
...or, depending on the tone, the colour can range from
being garish (bright and loud) to very drab and serious
(army green).
Yellow: The colour of sun, optimism and energy...
...or it can be overstimulating and irritating if too
intense.
Pink: Evokes the feeling of femininity, innocence and happiness..
...or it can feel overly feminine or even medicinal,
depending on its tone.
Purple: Carries a history of being regal, sophisticated and powerful...
...or it can be read as too feminine or playful (think
faux animal prints).
White: Suggests a space that is pure, uncluttered and fresh...
...or cold, lifeless and unimaginative.
Black: Sophisticated, sleek and strong; usually an accent...
...too much black can make a space feel heavy and
claustrophobic.
