Redecorating your home or workplace is an exciting time filled with opportunities and hope. But choosing a paint colour can be difficult, whether you know your colour scheme or not.
If you have a colour palette in mind, finding the perfect shade of paint poses a problem, and when you don’t have a clue what colour you want, looking at all the options feels overwhelming.
Where do you start when trying to select a paint colour?
At AJ Nehlig, we have been providing internal decorating and external painting for residential and commercial properties for just under 50 years. Our knowledge is unparalleled, and we have an efficient process to help our clients choose the right paint colour for their space. This process is based on eight considerations.
In this blog, we run through these considerations and how to use them to pick a colour for your walls.
1. What Is The Room's Purpose?
The first place to start when choosing a paint colour is understanding the room’s purpose.
Think about how the room will be used because different colours will evoke different emotions, which will impact the functionality of the room.
In a residential property, a bedroom will want to be a calming, relaxing space, so blues and greens are a good option. Meanwhile, living spaces and kitchens can handle more vibrant colours as they are spaces for captivating attention.
Within a commercial property, you want to promote productivity, so use neutral tones to prevent distraction and any feelings of claustrophobia. However, restaurants and hospitality spaces can use bolder colours to evoke energy, excitement or even sophistication.
By understanding the purpose of the room, you can match the paint colour to the mood that should be felt when in the space.
2. How Light Is The Space?
Whether you have plenty of natural light entering the space through windows, doors, a skylight, or strong artificial lighting, the colours you choose will be impacted by them.
Different types of lighting will make colours look different, so be sure to test the colours with the lighting before you commit to it.
Spaces with lots of natural light are able to look good with darker or cooler colours, and the light can enhance the depth of the colour.
However, if the space relies more on artificial lighting, there are a few other considerations. Fluorescent lights tend to bring out cool tones, while incandescent lights can enhance warmer tones. So, if you have brighter white lights, greys and blues will work, whereas more orange lights will look better with warmer creams or tones of oranges and reds.
3. What Are The Overall Designs and Colour Schemes?
If you have pieces of furniture already selected or are keeping furniture the same, you will need to consider these colours and match them to create a cohesive feel and style.
In your residential home, think about the materials within the space. Is there wood or lots of soft fabrics? Do you have bold colours in your furniture or items?
In a commercial space, focus on the atmosphere and your branding. Do you want to show creativity and personality, then choose colours that are bright and feel energetic. Or are you trying to create a more modern and professional tone, in which case stick to neutrals?
Pick colours that complement each other and everything else in the room so that it flows seamlessly rather than creating a jarring experience.
4. Have You Balanced Bold Colours With Neutral Tones?
It is important to balance neutral tones with some colour as this will avoid it looking too overwhelming or too stark.
So, how can you do this in your space?
If you are redecorating a room at home, accent walls are a great way to introduce colour without overpowering everything else. You can use natural colours such as light greys, creams, beiges or white as a backdrop.
Corporate and commercial spaces can be slightly harder to find ways to hit this balance, but it is possible. Similar to residential properties, accent walls are a great way to introduce colour into the space. Alternatively, you can choose to use neutral paints and simply accessorise the space with colourful furnishings, for example, a colourful sofa in a relaxation area.
5. What Size Is The Room?
The colour of the walls will impact how big or small the room feels, so it is important to consider the shape and size of the room while you choose paints – you don’t want to accidentally make a small room feel smaller because of the paint colour.
As a general rule, lighter colours will make the space feel more spacious. Meanwhile, darker shades can make it feel smaller. Of course, if you want to make a room feel cosy and relaxed, you might opt for a darker colour to achieve the feel of a smaller room.
Whether working on a residential property or a commercial one, this rule applies to both. If you are decorating an open-plan workspace, you are probably more likely to go for something lighter so that the room feels spacious and airy, allowing employees to feel focused and productive.
6. What Are The Psychological Impacts Of Colours?
As we mentioned earlier in the blog, colours impact the mood and emotions felt in a room. Therefore, it is imperative that you use this colour psychology to your advantage and not detriment.
Here are a few hints and tips on which colours provoke which emotions:
Blues = calm, relaxed, serene
Green = Restorative, neutral
Yellow = Energetic and uplifting
Red = Stimulating, and bold
7. How Much Traffic Will Pass The Wall?
Wall colours need to last otherwise, you will be adding another layer of paint every month. This means that when picking your paint colour, you need to think about the level of traffic that will be passing the colour.
This will likely not only dictate the colour but also the finish you opt for.
High-traffic areas need to look great and withstand the tough love they receive; maybe it is fingerprints from being used to steady yourself while taking shoes off or desk chairs scraping against it in an office.
Of course, the finish you choose adds an additional element to how the paint colour will look, so think this through.
Semi-gloss and satin finishes are great for kitchens and bathrooms in residential properties because they are easy to clean. But matte options are good for the bedroom and living rooms as they have a softer finish.
However, in a commercial space, hallways, reception areas and other high-traffic areas are better to have an eggshell or satin finish as these are more resistant to wear and tear.
8. Have You Tested It On The Wall?
If you manage to hone in on one colour using these considerations, that is great. But don’t rush into painting the entire wall that colour too soon.
First, buy a tester pot and paint a few layers on the wall. This will give you an idea of how the colour will fit with the rest of the room, how the light in the space impacts the colouring and how the finish looks.
Don’t be afraid to test more than one colour and finish to compare them to each other.
Get Guidance From Our Experts
Still not sure what colour to choose? Don’t worry, we can help.
If you get through these eight considerations and are still unsure what paint colour to choose, reach out to our interior painting specialists.
We are always happy to talk through colour options with you. Our conversation will follow the above points as we gather more information about the space you are decorating, as we go through the points, we will make suggestions and recommendations for you to run with.
Don’t forget, we can help you get the work done! Whether you are doing interior or exterior painting, it can be time-consuming as you have to make sure everything is fully prepared before starting to apply the colour. Our team are efficient at getting all the preparation work done so we can get on with painting your walls and ceilings.
We work in a way that ensures minimal disruption to you and your day so you can get on with your routine.
Call us on 01202 980 484 or complete our online contact form to discuss your colour options.
