Foolproof Way To Choose Paint Colors For Your Home

    Do you realize that there is a DIY Foolproof Way to Choose Paint Colors For Your Home?

   Several years ago, I watched Christopher Lowell on his show, Interior Motives.  I loved that show!  He imparted so much knowledge and encouraged and empowered people to do it for themselves.  His show was clearly the catalyst for many of the home improvement, decorating, cooking and entertaining shows that followed.  Having attended an art school, working in graphic arts for a while, and loving crafts and so many facets of art, I was an attentive student.

DIY Foolproof Way to Choose Paint Colors For Your Home

    On one of his shows, he explained how to take a paint color fan, either purchased from or given to you by your favorite paint store, and use it to coordinate or match the colors you have chosen for everything from paint to fabric and chachka.  He explained that if you want to create a pleasing flow from one room to another, just choose the same depth of color in your paint.  If you choose a color from the second row, choose your other colors from the same row, as indicated by the arrows in the photo of the fan.  If you choose a color from the 3rd row, choose all colors from the 3rd row.

     When I first started painting the kitchen, I realized the color had too much white in it.  I immediately went out and bought paint with the same hue, but more color and less white in it.  As soon as it was on the wall, I knew I couldn’t live with that pastel.   My final colors were all from the first row on this fan.  Most paint dealers now have a sample can of paint, which you can purchase inexpensively, and try in a small amount to find out which row of color you like.  

    It doesn’t matter what hue (red, yellow, blue, yellow-green, etc.), the amount of white, (tint), or black, (shade) really will make it easy to determine if the colors you choose will go together well.

    Have you been to a home, where the colors were all over the place, some were pastel, and some were so jolting, they were unsettling?  Walking from room to room there was no flow?  So have I!

    Based on what he said, I chose paint colors for our new home, which has an open floor plan on the first floor.  I have used blues, greens, and tans, but there is just a calm pleasing flow from one room to another since they were all the same tint, (same amount of white in each hue).  Has anyone ever made it simpler?  They work together beautifully. 

     Before choosing the colors, I went to the fabric store and chose a floral fabric, which I absolutely love.  I love the colors and I love the floral, but even if I tire of the print, I will never tire of the beautiful colors.  From that fabric, I made a tablecloth, pillows, and even bought a bench upholstered in the same fabric.  Then using the fabric, I matched hues and chose the same level of tint for all of them.

   I could have chosen a painting and used the same process, but I guess the fabric was more tactile and easy for me to carry around for matching or coordinating everything.  The beauty of this is that matching everything to that fabric means I can move things from one room to another and they coordinate beautifully.  If you look at this fabric closely, you will notice there are a lot of colors, which gave me a lot of options.   Finding the closest color on the color fan, I would then just go to the first row and use that color as my paint color.   I could have used a darker shade or lighter tint, but the first row of colors is what spoke to me, and I have found that those colors have made a beautiful background for my own furnishings.  Isn’t that what your walls should be?  A background?

  It is just that simple!  Anyone can do it!

   Last week we talked about choosing the right color for your walls, by selecting the same depth of color.  There is another element, to selecting that color, which will make your choice even more foolproof.

   Pull out your color fan.  If you don’t have one, get one!  Take it to the store with you when selecting your paint, your fabric, curtains, furniture, etc.  This fan has come in handy so many times!  It is so convenient to have all of the paint chips in your home and under your lights, instead of standing in a store trying to select a couple of cards with limited choices under completely different lighting!

   Obviously, you know that red and yellow are warm colors and blue is a cool color. Red, yellow, and blue can also be warmer or cooler by adding color.

   Cool blue has more yellow and looks greener.  Add red and the blue is warmer.

   Open your color fan.   In this example, we are selecting a blue color.

 

   Fan out the blues so they are all visible.  You will notice on the right side the blues have more yellow undertones and look greener.  As you look to the left, the colors have more red and begin to look violet.

 

 

 

 

   The same is true for reds. Warm red colors have yellow in them. Cool red has more blue added.  Want a neutral color that will go with cool or warm?  Choose one from the middle section.

 

   Yellows work the same way.  If you want to have a nice background color that will go with cool or warm accessories, choose one of the paint colors in the middle.  Those colors are a nice neutral.  In other words, you should not have a problem with your things clashing with your paint color.

   Doesn’t that make sense?  How easy is that?  Make your choice with no fear.

 

 

 

P.S. Another reason to have your own color fan, is the paint stores change their paint colors from time to time.  If you have a paint color fan, you will always have your colors for them to match.  People at the paint stores have actually tried to buy or trade my color fan because they don’t have it anymore!

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