How to Select Room Colors

Choosing paint colors for a room is a very personal decision. The colors you find appealing may be inspired by a favorite painting, or your wardrobe, or even by places you traveled to and now want to bring part of the memory back home. Room colors can be reflect the latest design trends or create the mood you want for the room.

If you are remodeling and need to select room colors, or if you just want to update a room with a new color, one of the keys to using color in a home setting is to coordinate the hues of various rooms. Think of your home as a color palette when making color choices. If you are unsure what tones will be most pleasing in your home, here are a few tips to help you select the perfect room colors:

• Consider colors that appeal to you. What colors are most frequently in your wardrobe? If you’ve visited homes or have photos of rooms that serve as an inspiration for your project, what colors caught your eye?

• Look at your furnishings for keys to wall color. If you have upholstered pieces, what are the dominant colors? Would you use a similar or complementary color on the walls?

• Use the “Color Wheel.” Remember your art classes in elementary school when the art teacher pulled out a color wheel? Those principles are helpful in selecting wall colors, trims and accents for a room in your home. Benjamin Moore’s “Color Language” guide has a very helpful section on how to use the Color Wheel to select interior paint colors and combinations.

When it comes to paint colors there are literally thousands of choices. To help you select the right paint colors for the rooms in your home, we have developed a 19-page homeowner’s guide – How to Select Room Colors.

By downloading this free guide you will learn:

• Expert tips on selecting room colors.

• How to access and use online room color selection tools from major paint manufacturers – Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams, PPG Pittsburgh Paints. The guide walks you through how to use these tools to select the perfect colors for your rooms. You’ll find links to each tool and helpful comments on what we think you will find most and least helpful. It’s a great way to determine which tools might be best for you.

• How to test paint before making a decision to buy and apply it.
• The hottest paint colors for 2014. If the latest design trends in interior colors serve as inspiration to you, we’ve included a chapter on the paint manufacturers’  "2014 Colors of the Year" and a chapter on our choices for the Hottest Interior Colors for 2014.

Happy painting!