Interiors Now LLC
What considerations need to be made for my home or space?
What if I don’t like what’s popular?
What if I don’t like it after it’s painted?
How do I know what’s “The Right Color”?
We answer your most important paint color questions below.
We are sharing the Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams and of course our choice for
2022 Color of the Year with you.
Used in the appropriate spaces a subdued grey/green can create a calm and relaxing space reminiscent of your favorite spa.
Your Questions Answered:
How do I know what’s “The Right Color”?
Think about the colors that you see in nature, magazines, restaurants, and even clothing. Start paying attention to what feelings you have when you see these things. Try and separate weather it’s a color or combination of colors that you are drawn to or the overall feel of the space or item. The same works in the opposite. If you find that you have great distaste for a color or the feeling of a space, pay attention to what colors or combinations are present. What feeling do you want the space to convey? Restful, for a bedroom. Energized and uplifted for an exercise room. Cozy and relaxed for a family room. What color do you associate with the feeling of the space that you are creating? If you stay true to what you are drawn to and are aware of the feeling of the space you are creating, you will find the task much easier.
What considerations need to be made for my home or space?
As touched on in the previous question, you need to be aware of the function, mood and use of the space that you are creating. A bright and pure white mudroom with dogs and kids will make finding those matching black shoes much easier, but isn’t practical. Consider the following 3 things when choosing the type and sheen of paint.
Function: What needs to happen in the space? What tasks are performed here? Is this for entertaining only or does it need to be used for entertaining and cooking? In spaces such as bathrooms and kitchens, you want to choose paint that is washable has more durability and than in other rooms. Oil may be more durable in high traffic areas like kitchen cabinets, railings and baseboards.
Mood: How do I want to feel in the space? Believe it or not, choosing the right type of paint and sheen makes a huge difference here. Sheen helps to create mood. While I can’t think of anyone currently who wants a high gloss in their living room, many aren’t aware that paints today are formulated for different uses such as reduced glare and provide true color for transition from day to night. Check out Benjamin Moore Aura, It’s our favorite! A safe bet is eggshell.
Use: This is different than function since you can have a room that has a specific function, but might have a much reduced use rate than another. Guest bedroom vs your everyday bedroom for example. Here, you need to apply both function and mood, but also durability. Consider what will work with your lighting, how much wear the space will see and the materials in the space. Are you painting crown molding vs a wood floor? What product you choose will greatly impact the overall durability and performance of your space. Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams do a great job on their websites of explaining what paint to use in what application as well as the science behind creating each paint.
What if I don’t like what’s popular?
Never worry about going with what is popular. Just like in clothing, fads come and go. Every year there is a new Color of the year, so if you’re worried about this, then technically, every year you would be behind the times. Then why have a color of the year? OK, no one wants mauve and baby blue kitchens today, so it is there to give us a suggestion of color and forecast color families that are considered fresh. I always advise my clients to be more concerned with what is over saturated in the design world today and the niche trends that will be out of style before your jeans. Paint is one area where you can go outside of your comfort zone to create something amazing and new, and repaint it when you want. I recommend using timeless flexible colors for the main walls and accent with color on trim and in unexpected places.
What if I don’t like it after it’s painted?
First of all, it’s always better to make this decision prior to the space being completed. I offer all of the clients large size paint sample cards to place on their walls and live with for a few days in daylight, nighttime, sun and rain before making a decision. We don’t paint yet! Next, I suggest that the go purchase small samples of the actual paint and do the same; then, make their final decision. Sometimes it can be overwhelming and hard to tell if a color is pulling too yellow for example or if you’ll be happy with a color that you’d like to try, but is a little far outside of your comfort zone. Rely on you Interior Designer and your painter to help navigate all of this. Trust their advice and knowledge, and have thorough conversations answering all of your concerns. Don’t feel that you have nothing to add to the conversation. I have several Clients who say that they don’t know what they like, but believe me, they know what they don’t, which is equally important. As an Interior Designer, I am here to help with these decisions and take the stress out of your design project.
Images property of Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. Credit to Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams for color of the year information, images and resource links. Interiors Now LLC is a design partner that specifies both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams products to our clients.