Color Selection Made Easy — Kelly Bernier Designs

Today we are flooded with so much information on how to choose the perfect paint color for our homes. Blogs, magazines, Pinterest, Houzz, Facebook, HGTV and many other sources. We read all the different info and then find ourselves questioning if the color we chose is still in style, if the undertones are working, do the colors flow correctly, etc. If you are like me, too much information on any subject just makes me more confused and stressed!When it comes to choosing paint colors, I believe that if you go back to basics, the process will be much easier for you. Here are a few tips and advice on Paint Selection 101 to use next time you feel overwhelmed selecting a paint color:

*Remember that the goal of the wall color is to find a color that works with everything you own and love. It works as the background scene. The walls are not supposed to be the ‘star’ of the room.
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*A great place to begin your search for colors is the Benjamin Moore Historical colors. I wrote a post here explaining how they provide good backgrounds and serve to unify diverse color palettes. They are colors that have been tried, tested and found true by many. Including me!via

*Ask yourself if the largest piece of furniture, (sofa/ bed) will be staying in the room. If no and you are starting from scratch, I suggest purchasing your expensive sofa first and then working the inexpensive paint colors around. If you answered yes, then your sofa fabric will be your starting point. If your fabric is patterned, I always select the lightest color in the fabric to be my wall color. If your sofa is a neutral color, do not try to exact match your wall color. That never looks right. If you are not inspired with your sofa color, it is time to bring in some fabric.
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*Fabric provides the perfect starting point for creating a color scheme. It’s an almost foolproof way to ensure your will love the colors in your room. If you love a fabric’s colors then you will love your room in those colors. Area rugs, window treatments, throws or pillows are just a few of my favorite ways to find color for a room.

*Thinking about white? Choosing the right white can be very difficult. Many think that white is safe choice so instead of choosing the wrong color, they choose the wrong white. I agree that all-white rooms are gorgeous in the glossy magazines layouts. But are they realistic for every home? So many of the rooms look like carbon copies of each other and have little or no personality. It takes a talented designer to keep an all-white room from looking cold and sterile.via

*I know I talk about this all the time but it is so important! You need to please take the time and buy a sample of paint before you paint your walls. Paint a poster board and move around in the room day and night and be sure that you love the color. Put the poster board vertically to the floor to be sure it works with your flooring and also put the board next to your sofa and other fabric in the room. Much easier to see than using that small paint sample on card. It is well worth the extra time and money to save yourself from despair later!*Paint Finishes:*For walls I prefer using eggshell. It has a soft look with bit of sheen but does not make the walls look shiny. The eggshell finish also helps hide any wall flaws.*I always suggest trim to be done with a semi-gloss finish. It is a shiny finish that makes it easy to wipe clean.*Ceilings- Many people use a flat finish on their ceilings because it helps hide imperfections. But I actually like using a Pearl finish to add a little sparkle to my ceilings. Speaking of ceilings:via*Don’t forget about your fifth wall! Dreamy light blue colors are gorgeous painted on ceilings. When you leave the ceiling white, it looks like a big white sheet spread over the room. I have listed a few of my favorite blues for ceilings here.I hope you have found this article helpful. Choosing a paint color should be fun and exciting! Try my tips next time and you too will feel like a pro!