3 Key Steps to Choosing a Home Color Palette

Painting your home is a daunting task. You know you want something different, but what?

Choosing the right color palette makes the process much more manageable. Once you have a palette selected, you can easily create different moods in rooms and create a space you’ll be proud to call your home.

Pick a Starter Color

So where do you start? There are a few options:

• Choose your favorite color
• Choose a color you’re “stuck” with
• Choose a color from a piece of artwork or a vibrant rug you love

If you love a certain shade of red, run with it! Do you have a couch that you like (or at least don’t want to replace yet)? Work with that! Maybe there’s a painting that belongs on your wall that has a multitude of colors you can work around. Whatever you decide, you’ll want that to be your main color. This doesn’t mean you need to paint all the walls your favorite shade of hot pink; what it means is that you’ll work around this color and add it to all of your rooms.

Choose Some Secondary Colors

Now you should decide on a few colors to work around your main color.

First, you want to choose a white. Every white and neutral comes with a different undertone which determines how it works with the other colors you’re picking. Warm whites tend to have red or yellow undertones, while cool whites have blue or green undertone. Looking at the darkest shade on your paint swatch can help you determine the undertone. This white will be used mainly for trim, doors, or even cabinets or furniture.

Next, choose a neutral. Again, consider the undertone and temperature of the color. This color will most likely be your go-to for connecting spaces and your more open rooms. This allows an easier flow from room to room and creates space for the eyes to rest.

Now you want a more saturated color. Deciding on this color can be tricky, because you have to know what kind of feeling you’re going for in your home. This color also needs to work with your main color. This is where your 2nd grade art class is going to come in handy!

There are three main schemes to consider, and you can use the color wheel for all of them:

Monochromatic: Go this route for a modern and subtle look. You’ll utilize different shades of the same color. Going with a monochromatic scheme is great if you want a relaxing home, and you can always use your accent color (spoiler: that’s the one you’ll pick next) to add a pop where needed.

Harmonious: Calm and relaxing may be more your speed; use a harmonious scheme to achieve those feelings. These colors are next to each other on the color wheel and are essentially made from one other. You may even see some connections with nature: blues and greens giving off the vibe of a tree-lined creek, or reds and oranges making your room feel like a sunset.

Complementary: Use this scheme if you want a vibrant and lively room! Opposite colors create a feeling of excitement and personality, and give energy to your space.

Finally, pick an accent color. The fun thing about this pick is that it can be an accent in some spaces and a main color in others; you’re not restricted to using any of these colors in a specific way! Once you’ve made your base palette, you have full creative freedom.

Pinterest is a great resource if you are at a complete loss for ideas. Find some inspiration by searching “home color palette” and adding on keywords for specific colors or tones (e.g., “blue home color palette” or “warm home color palette”).

Now that the colors are picked, you will want to consider how to use them in each room.

Decide How You’ll Use Your Colors

First, remember that dark colors on the wall make a room feel smaller while a lighter shade opens it up. A strategy to use if you have very small spaces like a nook or built-in shelf is to use a dark or vibrant color to embrace the small space and make it stand out. You can also experiment with different hues of the colors in your palette depending on the space; just have the paint shop mix a little white in to get a lighter shade!

Another factor to consider is the lighting of a room. You’ll want to observe how much natural light a room gets, or, if you use the room mainly in the very early morning or after the sun sets, what kind of lighting fixtures you have. Incandescent bulbs cast a warmer (more red) glow and fluorescent bulbs are much cooler (bluer). Bring your paint swatches into the room during various times of day under different types of light so you can decide what looks best. Cooler tones allow more shadows (best for a room with a lot of natural light), while warmer tones soften shadows.

If the idea of colorful walls is too much of a commitment, consider painting with mainly neutral colors. By doing this, you can give yourself the freedom to use those other more saturated colors in rugs, artwork, knick-knacks, window treatments, and furniture! This method is good for those who want to be able to change the theme or mood of a room on a whim.

Ultimately, your home’s color palette is a display of your personality. If you are honest in your choices and view it as a chance to express your creative side, you can’t go wrong with the colors you choose!

Expert Interior Painting in the Detroit Metro Area

Let the painting experts at Armor Tough Coatings help you create your dream home, no matter the color palette! Contact us today to discuss how our skilled team can give your home a new look!