The Art of Choosing Paint Colors
As a designer, I often receive questions such as, 'What color should I paint my house?' and the classic, 'Hey, what's your all-time favorite shade of white paint?' Now, folks, my response is pretty consistent: it all depends! Choosing a paint color is akin to curating your outfit. I mean, how on earth can I provide solid advice if I don't know whether you're rocking Nikes or stilettos? I'm in the dark about what's happening from the ankles up, and let's be real, I'm clueless about the occasion too! It's a paint and fashion mystery until you consider more details. The same principle applies whether you're painting a room, an accent wall, or the entire exterior of a house.
Lake Oswego Modern Dining Room
In our Lake Oswego Modern’s dining room we chose a moody sage green. This hue was able to talk to the natural surroundings and light during the day, creating a seemless indoor outdoor feel. And at night? The moodiness came alive, creating an ambient space to enjoy meals and company.
You should consider 3 things before you paint:
How much natural light does the space receive? Light plays a crucial role in how we perceive paint colors, and it can have a significant impact on the overall appearance of a painted space. For example, windows with natural light, ambient light sources, and incandescent light can all affect whether a green paint looks muddy or lush like the forest.
What is in the room or nearby that could reflect color or light? This is a major factor to consider. Wood floors can change the color of white on a wall. The house next door should be considered and could change what color your exterior appears, depending mostly on proximity. Fabrics or other colors in the room WILL change the appearance of a paint color.
What is the size and purpose of the room? Smaller spaces can look bigger if you paint with lighter, calming colors, while darker colors feel cozier and tend to energize the room.
Lake Oswego Modern Exterior
This exterior color we chose for Lake Oswego Modern is the perfect example of how light and space completely change a paint color depending on the environment. When just looking at swatches, this grey would appear neutral, and well, just grey. But once painted on the exterior, the color comes alive, reflecting the trees and light throughout the day.
So now what do I do?
Alright, here's our top-notch advice for you: Dive into the colorful world of testing! Pick up those samples from your friendly neighborhood paint store and try them out on the wall. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, we recommend Miller Paint. But hold on, the sample game can be a bit tricky. Don't just group all three shades of gray on the house and expect a revelation. No, no! Spread those samples out. Mix them up. For the exterior, pair your samples with your trim and fixtures. For interiors, pair your samples with flooring, tile, fabric, and fixtures. But don't stop there–scatter these color duos in different corners of the room or all around the exterior of the house to test them with the surroundings and natural light at various times of the day. Observe how the color changes and make your decision from there.
The Sheen Queen
The sheen is Queen when it comes to your paint, another factor that dictates whether your paint reflects or absorbs light. Flat paint is usually used on the ceiling and absorbs light. Eggshell is commonly used on the wall. Satin is used on trim or areas of high touch because of the ease of wipeability. High-gloss is the statement sheen and is the most reflective in light. It will have a more glossy or wet appearance than the eggshell or flat. Yep, get samples of the sheens too folks! See how they play with the light.
Irvington Rad Kitchen Cabinets
These high-gloss cabinets in Teal’s home, Irvington Rad, create the perfect statement piece in the busiest room in the house. The color also plays with the striping in the Carrara Marble countertops.
Prime Pro Tip Alert!
Priming a wall is like hitting the reset button on your color palette. It creates the ultimate blank canvas. So, before you dive into sampling, make sure to give that wall a solid priming session. It's the secret sauce for getting the most accurate representation of your chosen hue. And here's the golden rule: prime your entire space before committing to the painting process. It doesn't matter if you're going for the darkest, moodiest color in the rainbow–priming is the unsung hero that sets the stage for your color. So, don't skip it!
To make the best well-informed paint selection…
GET HELP! Did you know you can hire a paint consultant or color specialist? They will combine, arrange, select, and show you all sorts of different ways to achieve the feeling you are looking for in your space, all through paint color. One of our Portland favorites is Kristin, but you can search your local area for a color consultant. Color is hard, but it’s well worth the investment and, guess what, white can be the hardest color to select!
Have more paint selection questions? Message us @tealandscott on Instagram!
Below are some other helpful resources on living in color:
Affiliate Disclosure: Teal and Wendy hand pick every product they recommend. Some product links are affiliate and may provide a small kickback to T&S at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate they earn from qualifying purchases.
