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8.23.2012

paint & color advice

Picking a color scheme & paint colors can be hard! Here are some tips & tricks that work for me (and a few that I need to remember myself):



1/ Get samples!! It’s hard to find the perfect shade, so feel free to play around with a few until you find the perfect one. Looking at a small swatch is hard to tell – and seeing the color on YOUR wall can really help narrow down your choices.


2/ Have a piece of art/rug/pillow in your space that you love? Pull a color scheme from that and design around that “inspiration piece.”

3/ When you have a store custom match a color for you, make sure you get the paint formula. They will usually put the formula on the lid with a label. When getting more paint, use this formula. No 2 custom color matches are the same.


 4/ Be sure to test your colors in the lightest and darkest parts of your room – this can really make a difference in how it looks.

5/ Want something fun but afraid of something bright? Paint neutral strips using a tone on tone look. Buy the same color paint in 2 different finishes (satin/eggshell & gloss) or pick 2 colors on the sample paint swatch. They're meant to compliment each other. This will give some interest without being too bold.

picture from here

6/ Find inspiration in magazines and on the internet – you might stumble across a color that you would have never considered at the home improvement store. Carry your inspiration picture with you so you don’t lose site of your end goal.

7/ I’ve heard this advice before and really need to remember this for myself: Think 60-30-10. 60 percent of your room should be your primary color, 30 percent your secondary color, & 10 percent your accent color.


picture from  here

8/ “Neutral” doesn’t just mean tan or beige – neutral can be grays, taupes or soft blues too!

picture from here

9/ Don’t go all solid – mixing in textures and patterns can give a room a lot of dimension.

picture from here

 10/ Weave the same colors throughout all of the main spaces in your home. If you add a different pop of color to each space, they’ll look cohesive, without being matchy-matchy.



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[p.s. this post may be linked to any number of these blogs]

2 comments:

  1. Wonderful advice especially #7 - I've tried to use that formula in my rooms. I have this linked to my "paint colours" post as well today - thanks for your tips!

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