How to choose paint color for walls and interior

To choose a paint color for walls, usually use tinting fans in the store. We will tell you why this is not enough, why designers make trial colorings in the real interior and how to deal with it yourself.

What to consider when choosing a color

In addition to personal preferences, when choosing a color composition of the interior, take into account the objective features of the room.

Room size and purpose

There is no rule about the relationship between the size and color solution of the room that would adhere to all designers. Some say that a dark color in a small room will eat its volume, others say that the color of the walls will not change the perception of size.

Better think about the mood you want to create in the room and choose the appropriate color: stimulating dark blue for the study, calm light blue for the kitchen in the apartment of larks or dark earthy for the bedroom, where you want to feel calm and safe, as in the mink.

Lighting

When choosing a color for the walls, consider the natural light in the room. On the south side, sunlight will make any color look warm, while on the north side, it will look cold. The color you pick up in the store can change dramatically when you apply it to the wall at home.

The color of the furniture and the general interior

If the room is already furnished and youre just updating the walls, consider the existing color scheme. Start with the colors of the furniture, flooring, and fixtures and see what paint will work with them. In addition, you can be inspired by the color of the accent piece that you want to make the main thing in the interior: walls painted in one of the shades of a multicolored carpet will make its presence in the room more noticeable.

The classic way of combining colors in the interior - to combine in one room 2-3 shades. Usually it is done on the color wheel, but there are other techniques.

Wall Texture

How the color looks on the wall depends largely on its surface:

• A smooth surface shows the paint as it is, i.e. its brightness will be about the same as what you chose in the store on the fan.
• A glossy surface intensifies the color, making it more saturated.
• A textured surface, on the other hand, reduces the saturation of the color, and the more active the texture, the stronger this effect.

Is it possible to choose color by fan?

A color fan is a primary adjustment of color. It helps you narrow down your palette to a few shades you like. But to choose the perfect color, you will have to proceed by trial and error.

Palette Features

Colors appear more saturated and vibrant on coated fan paper. Because of the contrast with the white backing, even very light pastels appear more intense. In addition, small color samples distort the perception of color and do not make it clear how the color will look on a large wall.

A color fan is usually placed on a table, with light falling on it from above, making the colors appear bright. And on a vertical wall, the light rays fall at an angle. The angle of reflection also changes the perception of color.

Why do designers create paint swatches?

To get a better idea of how the paint will look on a real wall, you need to do a swatch. A swatch is a color test. It is done on a piece of paper, a piece of drywall, or directly on the wall - if you have already decided to repaint.

Drywall should be primed the same way you would paint the wall, with as many coats of paint as necessary to achieve the desired color intensity. This is usually 2-3 coats. For staining, many companies sell testers or just small cans.

If you have a textured wall covered with decorative plaster, it makes sense to apply paint directly to the wall. If you dont like it, you can plaster it back. If the wallpaper is painted on the wall - paste it on paper or cardboard and make a coloring. If the wallpaper is already on the wall, it is not necessary to test the paint on it: it will be difficult to paint over a mistake.

How many colors are needed?

The calculation is as follows: take 3-4 matching shades per color. If you are choosing between two colors, make 6-8 shades. If these colors are close, you can make intermediate colors. For example, if you are choosing between gray and beige, take some gray, some beige, and a few shades in between. And be sure to sign the color number on the shades so you dont get confused.

How to color correctly

Primer a piece of cardboard or drywall. Use a universal primer or a special primer - for a specific color.

• Apply several coats of paint with a roller. Let the paint dry between coats. At the same time, check how many coats it takes for the paint to be sufficiently saturated. This will help you determine how many cans of paint to buy later.
• When all the coats are completely dry, evaluate the resulting color separately under natural and artificial light. Look at the colors in the room you plan to paint and near different walls - the light will not fall on them in the same way.

When is the best time to paint?

The color of the wall depends a lot on the surroundings, so it is better that all the other finishes are ready: floor, ceiling, wallpaper on other walls or tiles. It is ideal if the room already has all the light fixtures. You will better understand how the color will look in the interior if you have samples of upholstery (in the living room) or fronts and countertops (in the kitchen).

If you made a color mistake

Minor color mistakes can be corrected with lighting:

• Overly saturated reds are softened by lighting with 2500-3000 K lamps.
• Bright orange colors become delicate pastels when illuminated with yellow lamps of 3500-4000 K.
• Active yellow color can be removed with cold light lamps 6500-7000 K.
• Dark green turns to lettuce under lamps with light close to natural fire - this is 2000 K. And if, on the contrary, you want to cool it to a sea wave, illuminate with neutral-cold lamps 5500-6000 K.

Conclusion

When choosing paint, take into account the initial data of the room: size, purpose and atmosphere, natural light, color of existing furniture and interior items, wall texture.

In the store, use a color fan and take several color samples for coloring: 3-4 shades for each color. Paint pieces of cardboard or drywall after treating the surface in the same way as the walls. Apply enough coats to achieve a dense color.

Evaluate the colors in the room where you will be painting the walls and with the lighting available there. Tape the samples to the wall or hold them upright against the wall.

If you have already painted the wall but did not get the perfect shade, you can correct the color by choosing the right lamps with the right warmth of light.