Choosing the Right Paint Colors for your Home
Choosing the right paint color for your home will make it feel fresh and put together. A cohesive color palette will make decorating easier. In this blog post I’m sharing what I have learned from years of experience in choosing paint colors. Helpful tips that will get you moving forward in any room makeover.

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If you ever want a completely new look in a space in your home but have very little money to spend, paint will be your best friend.
Choosing the right paint color for your home can dramatically enhance its aesthetic appeal, mood, and even perceived size. The right shade can create a warm, inviting atmosphere, making spaces feel cozy or expansive depending on your needs.

Creating a cohesive color palette from room to room will make decorating much easier too. I believe color is much more important than trying to define your decorating style.
I completed a bathroom makeover by painting the walls and switching out art we already owned, it was an amazing transformation. To help you make your next paint project a success, use these tips and tricks to choose the right paint every time.
This is after all, the most important part.

Where to start: cohesive home color paint
A well-balanced home typically has 3 to 6 paint colors to create a cohesive and visually appealing look. Here’s how your paint colors can be used effectively:
- Main Wall Color – A dominant neutral or soft shade used throughout most of the home for consistency. This will be your base neutral.
- Accent Color(s) – One or two complementary shades for feature walls, built-ins, or architectural details to add personality. These accent colors can be part of your overall color story with accessories.
- Trim & Ceiling Color – Usually a crisp white, soft off-white, or a subtle contrasting tone to frame walls and highlight details. Since color drenching is currently trending, it is a wonderful consideration.
- Room-Specific Colors – Some rooms, like bedrooms or offices, may benefit from their own distinct but harmonious shades. I like to darker or more saturated colors in these areas.

Sticking within a unified color palette within the home ensures flow while allowing for character in different spaces.
There are times when you may want to add in a new color for a kids room or nursery. Choosing a color within in the overall aesthetic of your home will make it look better.

Your paint color choices come from the decor and hard surface finishes in your home. Therefore you should never choose your paint colors first.
Best tips for choosing the right paint color
Paint samples
Paint swatches, the little cards you pick up at the paint store, aren’t enough. You must buy a sample and paint it on the wall. I recommend that you paint your sample on multiple walls in a space. As the light changes throughout the day you can tell which color you love best.
Important to know…
Paint samples will look best and most accurate when you see them next to pure white. When you paint samples next to each other over your existing color, this can cause the paint color to look different.
When I picked Sherwin Williams Adaptive Shade I painted the living room paint samples on the wall.
You can also buy peel and stick samples made from real paint in case you are in the decision and design phase. Ordering the these paint samples will also allow you to keep them as part of your room makeover planning ideas.
Don’t skip this step!
The number one way to guarantee you get a paint color that misses the mark, is to skip the sample step. Don’t make that mistake.
Be sure to sample your paint colors.
To get started with your home color palette choose a color you want to add in to. Then choose two or three other shades in a similar look. Then get paint samples to take into your home to see how they look.
Paint Sheen
The shinier the paint the more reflective it will be. I prefer eggshell or satin for walls. Satin will be better if you have small children. Satin or shiny paint finishes allow you to wipe the walls down when scuffed or dirty.
Flat paint will not reflect light but it is also not washable which is why most ceilings are flat paint. Stick with semi gloss or gloss for trim and doors.

Often we think our home needs a complete remodel to look better. Especially if you have something that feels dated because it isn’t new.
For instance kitchen cabinets and flooring. Learning how to update honey oak in your home with a cohesive paint color palette will make you love your home again.
Paint shades
All colors are not created equal. There are actually so many options it can be overwhelming. Use the tips I shared in this post about choosing black paint and you will have greater success with your color. Everyone sees color differently so be sure you get a few shades of green, for example, to decide the right one.

Paint YOU love
There will be times when you need to ask a friend or the guy at the paint store for color options but always follow your gut once you have colors in hand. Someone else’s favorite color doesn’t make it yours too.
Black painted walls my not be for everyone, but I love them.

Paint Paralysis
Leaving a color on the walls too long. When you continue to live with a color you have had for years because you can’t decide on a new color, I call this paint paralysis.
You can become frozen sometimes at the thought of paying a professional painter when you’re unsure. This is why I do it myself. Learning how to paint a room from top to bottom is a great skill.
However, IF you can’t do it yourself ask around for referrals. Facebook is a great place to ask. Don’t let choosing a color or a painter paralyze you from moving forward.

Paint Color over Decorating Style
Through all of the years I have been decorating homes, I see more people worrying about what is my decorating style when a cohesive color palette will make all of the difference.
When you create the color story of your home, whatever style and decor you like will look amazing.

Our home color palette
I’m currently working on ideas of adding different colors in our home. We are in our empty nest years so this season feels like it needs a little refresh.
Our current home color palette (at least mostly) is very neutral but with lots of contrast. My black bathroom walls are still my favorite.
