House Painting Ideas: Choosing the Right Paint Color

A simple coat of paint can revitalize your home in one simple step. You can take your house from boring drab to a beauty of color. Paint is also the cheapest way to remodel any room of your home, or even the exterior of your house. There are now dozens of manufacturers with numerous sheens and colors to choose from. The color choice can often be the hardest decision of all. Many people make multiple trips back and forth from the home improvement or paint store because they cannot decide on a paint choice.

Paint is becoming very expensive, but it is possible to get samples to take home before you make a large purchase. Some stores have swatches; however, the color is never as dark as it actually is. There are stores that are now sending home a small bottle of your paint choice for free so that you can test various colors on your walls. Many people have a basic idea of the colors that they want in their home, while others have no idea where to start.

The best place to begin is with the colors that you are naturally attracted to. View each color during different times of the day. You should also pay attention to how a particular color makes you feel. If the paint is for your bedroom, then you would obviously need a color that makes you feel at ease. You should also use this method in a room that you go in the most frequently.

While copying another person's color scheme might not be your idea of an original room, looking in books and magazines are great places for inspiration. If there are any show rooms near your home then you can also gain inspiration from those as well. Seeing color combinations used by other home owners can help you choose the correct colors. However, if you use a magazine for inspiration, do not try to copy the complete theme that is used. A magazine will almost never produce the same results that you expected.

While a color swatch on a piece of paper is not always the best way to choose a color, the manufacturers fan deck of colors can help you choose color combinations. A color deck is basically an extended version of a color wheel. The manufacturer will usually have one for interior walls and another deck for exterior projects. Take into consideration the fact that brighter colors will lose their hue after they are exposed to sunlight or certain weather conditions. Also, lighter colors will take several coats in order to achieve the perfect shade.

For exterior colors, a neutral tone with a value in the middle is the best choice. Light and medium beige or brown colors cover exterior walls the best and have a larger resistance to UV light. The worst colors to use on exterior walls are reds and yellows. Dark green is also difficult because it takes multiple coats to achieve the darkest shade. If you live in a gated community or an exclusive neighborhood, you might need to check with the association to make sure that a specific color is acceptable for the community. The color that you choose can have a negative effect on the value of your home, which is another option to take into consideration.