Tips To Choose House Paint Color

It's fall, we're spending more time indoors and people are noticing that they don't like the color of their walls. It seems there are some who just don't know what to do about their lavender wainscoting or their taupe ceilings.

When re-evaluating your colour options, here are a few things to keep in mind:

What effect are you trying to achieve? You can't pick a new colour for a room unless you know what you're trying to achieve. For example, you may want a room to be soft, warm and neutral. Or you might want architectural, bold and striking, modern, neo-classical, French 19th century, or Danish. The point is figuring out what your end goal is, and that will lead you to your next choices.

Quantify all of the fixed adjacent architecture. Look at your floors , ceilings, fixtures and anything else that won't be moving or changing anytime soon. These things will help determine what colors to use where you do have a choice (walls, furniture, etc.)

Analyze the color scheme of your fabrics. You need to look at what your drapes, upholstery and carpeting are like and see how they fit into your desired effect or what needs to be changed.

Consider the overall mood. Ask yourself if you want a bright room, a subdued one, or something in-between.

These general thinking points will help guide anyone toward the right decisions. It's much easier to answer the question "do I want a bright or a dark room?" than "do I want gold walls in a room with beige floors and purple drapes?"

The psychology of colour

To make the decision of changing your room's colour scheme easier, here's a short list of how some colours are known to affect your mood.

Blue - Cool and calming - blue creates a feeling of peace. Blue also signals trust - one of the reasons why the classic blue business suit is so popular. Blue is the most used color in decorating, especially for bedrooms. Use in southern exposure rooms to cool down the heat of the sun.

Red - Hot and vibrant! When red is predominant, heart rates increase, blood pressure rises and breathing can become more rapid. Red is also an appetite stimulant, which explains why it is frequently used in restaurants. Use in northern exposure rooms to warm up the room when there is little or no direct sunlight.

Green - Green is cool, refreshing, nurturing and balancing - it's like being surrounded by nature but indoors. When used as a food garnish. Dark green has always been associated with high economic status as in a wooden paneled library with deep hunter green accents. Use in southern exposure rooms to provide a balance with the heat of the sun.

Yellow - Warm and cheerful, yellow welcomes and draws attention. A little bit of intense yellow goes a long way! Use in southern exposure rooms to warm up the room when there is little or no direct sun.