My UPNA

Today we have a guest blogger who can inspire you start or finish that painting project you have been dreaming about for years.  This is the first in our series "Improving from the Inside-Out". 

Paint Color Selection Simplified

by Erin Lovell

There is more information in the media than ever before about home improvements. We all have our favorite shows on HG TV that decorate “on a dime” or stage properties for resale. However, none of this information makes the job of choosing paint color for your project any easier. In fact, for some of us, coming down to the final decision of wall color can be an agonizing one despite all the available advice. The good news is that painting remains a relatively inexpensive way to transform an interior space. Now that the kids are back in school,it might just be the perfect time to tackle the project that has been in the back of your mind all summer long.

Here are some simple guidelines to help you determine your color selection. First, have a clear understanding of the function of the room you wish to improve. Often, making this designation gives you a reference point from which to begin. As you know, color can energize or calm a space. Warm palettes bring vibrancy to a kitchen or family room whereas cooler tones provide calm retreats for a guest room or bath.

Next, choose a focal point in your room (for example a window or a fireplace). If you are considering a bold color, paint your accent wall (the one with the focal point) your stronger tone and then pick it up again in decorating accents like pillows or vases. Remember, wall color provides the back drop for the overall mood of the space. It's easy to make a daring choice when the room is stripped bare and waiting to be painted. Just remember, once the furnishings return, that color takes on a whole new personality. To provide a corresponding color for the remaining walls in that same room, go to milder colors on the same color strip or choose a related neutral. In this manner, you can still go bold but not have the room be overpowering.

Most paint stores sell color samples that you can brush onto poster board and hang in the room in question. A 2 oz color trial gives you a 3 foot square test swatch- that is a significantly larger surface area than a small color strip. Painting onto poster board allows you to move the sample, observing how the color plays on various walls. Exposure to sunlight and then artificial light in the evening hours gives you a broader spectrum of experience with the shade. Your family is sure to have an opinion as well. Having the trial up for 24 hours allows time for their input.

If you have not already, start a file folder on the project you have in mind. Every time you see something that contributes to the overall concept, add it to the collection. Magazine articles, furniture ads, fabric samples and photographs all can help create your theme. Choosing one as an “inspiration piece” can make the job even easier. Bring the items with you to the paint store to give your paint expert a starting point and it will do wonders for the selection process. Most of all, have fun with it! Your home is your refuge and it is a privilege to use the creative process to make it truly your own.

About the author: Kevin and Erin Lovell opened Pueblo Paint Store in June (family-owned and selling Benjamin Moore paints and related materials). They live with their 7-yr old son, Max, on Ironweed Drive and welcome questions or comments about all things paint.