• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
  • Contact
  • Featured in

Fresh Design Blog

How to choose the perfect paint colour

March 27, 2015 By Sara Walker 1 Comment

Fresh Design decor ideas

Now the days are longer and brighter, the inside of the house is starting to look a bit shabby. Chipped paintwork, odd marks and faded patches on walls are all becoming more noticeable, so now’s the time to think about revamping your rooms ready for the coming year. With the weather warming up, it’s also more practical to leave doors and windows open while new paint work is drying. If you’re not sure what colour you’re going to go for to renovate your living space, try our tips for inspiration.

Fresh Design decor tips

  1. Which way does your room face, i.e. north, south, east or west? North-facing rooms will generally make colours look a little darker as the light is flatter, so you might need to go for a shade or two lighter of your chosen colour. Good choices for north-facing rooms are colours with red, yellow or orange base tones, while blue and green will create a soothing, calming effect in south-facing rooms.
  2. If you choose colours based on a display in a large shop, be prepared for them to look different when you get them home and see them in a smaller, domestic setting.
  3. If you’re going for a very dark or dramatic colour, this might be best confined to one feature wall. Try painting one wall first to see if you like the effect. If you use two strong colours in the same room, they may interact in unforeseen ways so try it out first before you commit.
  4. Colors look different when the light changes, so get a roll of cheap lining paper (available from DIY shops), and paint it with two coats of your chosen colour. Move this around the room, fixing it to the walls with tape or Blutack, and see how it looks at different times of day and in different places. If necessary, fix white lining paper over the section of wall first so that you can see the new colour in isolation.
  5. Wet paint is a different colour to dry paint, so allow plenty to time for the colour to change before making a decision. Always apply at least two coats, too.
  6. Don’t forget that most big shops now offer a bespoke paint mixing service, so there’s nothing stopping using a favourite dress, a vintage vase, your grandmother’s brooch or even your cat’s coat for inspiration. Having your own paint colour mixed means that you must be sure to buy sufficient paint in advance, though, as subsequent batches may be a subtly different colour. Don’t forget to allow enough for future touch ups, too.
  7. Remember existing elements. If you have furniture, rugs or curtains you want to keep, this will restrict your choice of colour a bit. Take photographs of your existing items and take these with you when you go to choose the paint colour.
  8. Don’t forget to take existing rooms into account, and consider whether you want a colour scheme that’s confined to one room or flows throughout the house.
Dining room in Farrow & Ball blue gray no. 91

This dining room, in Farrow & Ball blue gray No. 91 (estate eggshell), from £38, has been given a contemporary edge with shocking pink upholstered chairs.

Eaton Square paint No 232 from Mylands

Strong colours, such as Eaton Square No 232 from Mylands Paint, from £20, are great for picking out features but may be too dark and dramatic for walls.

Striking modern paintwork using B&Q Colours

For a feature wall, don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild. This striking geometric pattern was created with three colours from the Colours range at B&Q – Pumpkin, Mai Tai and Ladybug. Prices start at £19.84.

By Sara Walker

 

0

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Pocket
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Decorating

Sara Walker

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Karolina says

    March 28, 2015 at 10:46 am

    I totally agree with testing your colours on all walls. This includes the ceiling if you want to paint it on different colour than brilliant white. I also think that looking at the colour at different times of the day is a good idea. Light plays a major role in how we see colours. I’m not so sure whether the position of the room should dictate what colour we should paint it. I think as long as the colour has warmer or cooler tones and shades in it, it should be enough. Then we are more open to more colour options and pick the colour direction which represent us and speak to us.

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Connect with FDB:

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Popular posts

  • Apartment Names: 200 Best Cool & Creative Ideas
    Apartment Names: 200 Best Cool & Creative Ideas
  • 200 Creative Names For Villas: Unique Villa Naming
    200 Creative Names For Villas: Unique Villa Naming
  • Creative Ways To Make Your Cathedral-style Kitchen Cabinets Look Modern
    Creative Ways To Make Your Cathedral-style Kitchen Cabinets Look Modern
  • Top Free Online Interior Design Room Planning Tools
    Top Free Online Interior Design Room Planning Tools
  • How To Install A Drip Edge Metal Roof: Key Benefits
    How To Install A Drip Edge Metal Roof: Key Benefits
  • How to Use Travertine Tiles in Your Bathroom Design
    How to Use Travertine Tiles in Your Bathroom Design
  • Garden Pond Edging Ideas: Natural and Decorative
    Garden Pond Edging Ideas: Natural and Decorative
VuelioTop10Badge2025

Latest Pins from FDB

Visit FreshDesign Blog's profile on Pinterest.

Archives

VuelioTop10Badge2024

Join us

Join us
  • Contact
  • Cookie Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Fresh Design ranked in the Vuelio Top 10 Interior Design Blogs 2020
Fresh Design ranked in the Vuelio Top 10 Interior Design Blogs in the UK 2017
Fresh Design ranked in the top 10 UK lifestyle blogs 2016
Fresh Design ranked in the Vuelio Top 10 Interior Design Blogs 2019
Fresh Design shortlisted in the 2018 Pinterest UK Interior Awards for Home Styling Tips
Fresh Design ranked in the Vuelio Top 10 Interior Design Blogs 2018
Fresh Design shortlisted in 2017 Vuelio Blog Awards
Fresh Design ranked in the top 10 Homes & Interiors Blogs 2015
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Copyright 2009-2025 Fresh Design Blog.

%d