Tag: paint color

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How to Pick a Paint Color

Picking a paint color, Gathering of lines home design
  • Pick your favorite neutral. For most people, this means gray, beige, or white. But take a look at the lightest two colors on paint swatches and see if one of those colors speaks to you. 
  • In the neutral rooms, have fun with colorful accents – colorful art, curtains, bedding, rugs, towels, etc are an inexpensive way to have fun in a room (and they’re easy to change).
How to pick a paint color, select your favorite neutral
Neutral color is Sherwin Williams Popular Gray SW6071.
Trim/Molding is Sherwin-Williams Snowbound
  • Pick one or two brilliant colors for 2 rooms in your house. For example, keep the kitchen, living room, and bathrooms neutral but paint the dining room a darker color. Note – in these boldly painted areas keep the other color accents simple – white bedding, white curtains, black dresser, etc. 
How to pick a paint color - choose one room for a brilliant, bold color.
Pick a bold, brilliant, color for one or two rooms in your house. Paint in this picture is Sherwin Williams: In the Navy SW 9178
  • Test the paint before you buy it. Paint a small area of the wall and look at it throughout the day as the light changes. This is great for your neutrals because you’ll be able to see them side by side and notice which one may look too brown or too gray. Note – be careful testing darker colors. If you’re testing a darker color, sometimes it’s hard to cover this test area if you decide on a lighter color later.
  • Use paint to make the room’s features stand out. For example, use a different paint color on a fireplace wall to make it stand out without having to pay for extra tile or molding. This is also fun for little nooks or walls with ornate windows. 
How to pick a paint color - use to highlight fireplaces
Use paint to make a fireplace feature stand out. Blue color is Sherwin Williams: Watery SW6478. Neutral is Sherwin Williams: Popular Gray SW6071
  • Select the right type of paint sheen
    • Gloss – easy to clean/wipe down but has a shine (great for children’s rooms/kitchens)
    • Semi-gloss – easy to clean but offers less shine and may be more visually pleasing (great for living rooms)
    • Flat/Matte – great for imperfect walls but shows dirt and doesn’t clean well (Great for older homes/apartments where the walls aren’t perfect)
    • Eggshell – cleans well, masks flaws and is durable. (Popular sheen and is great in most rooms)
  • If you’re in a rental, have fun with an accent wall. Check your renter’s policy but most facilities are happy to let you paint one wall in your apartment as long as you paint it back to white when you move out.
How to pick a paint color, use artwork and colorful accents
Use artwork to add color to neutral walls.

Thank you for visiting Gathering of Lines Home Design! What’s your favorite paint color? Let me know in the comments below and share your room colors with me on Facebook and Instagram!