Why is picking a paint color so hard when designing a room? Maybe you truly have no idea where to start or if you are anything like me, there is just way too many options to choose from. Whatever it may be, I want to share with you how I narrow down my choices and a few tips I’ve learned along the way to get me to a final decision!
My first step may seem simple and self explanatory but it truly does matter, and that is this: how is the room connected to the home as a whole. Is it open floor plan? Is it a jewel box bathroom that is closed off? Is it a master bathroom that is open to the master bedroom. All of these matter because in the end you want every room in your home to not just compliment but also tell the same story.
I like to think of the rooms of a home like a book. There may be 15 chapters in a book and while each chapter tells its own story, the book as a whole tells ONE flowing story. The same with our homes. Planning, looking at each room separately yet as a whole will help your home tell YOUR story. It will feel purposeful yet exciting as each room tells you new stories and exudes new feelings.
The second step in deciding is lighting. Does the room get a lot of natural light or barely none? I recently did a small guest bathroom renovation that has zero natural light. I debated for several weeks as to whether I wanted to proceed with my original plan of using a dark moody color. And boy am I thankful I took the plunge. At first I thought this darker Modern Mocha would close in the room but in all actuality it did the opposite. Painting the ceiling and trim the same color helped to elongate the wall lines giving the illusion that the room was much wider and taller.
Which brings me to one of my biggest paint tips I’ve learned over the past year: PAINT THAT TRIM. Paint the door, ceiling, trim, just paint all the things. Look, I don’t want to just say, “Its just paint”. Because I do realize that that also equals $$. But It really is “just paint”. Don’t be afraid to take a risk with something like paint, since it can always be changed!!
The third step is: try it on!! Just like we try on clothes to make sure they fit, so we should with paint. Location and lighting can totally change the color you see on a swatch in the store compared to the color you see on your wall. I would almost say that getting samples and putting them on the wall where you plan to paint is a non-negotiable. 👇🏽
MY FAVORITE TIP FOR SAMPLE PAINT:
Buy a cheap poster board at the Dollar Store. Cut it into oversized squares. Paint one sample on each oversized square. Now you can move the oversized sample around the room to see differences in light and tone. And it keeps less paint on the walls to cover later!!
Now, let’s talk about mood boards. Have you ever spent the time to do a full room mood board? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. Mood boards are like a dumping ground for your mind. It helps to sift through your design thoughts, while adding, subtracting and finalizing, so that the final product is cohesive and comes to life with much less stress. I’ve done countless projects without first doing a mood board and it seemed like I was constantly changing my mind, confusing myself on what the next step should be and then subsequently second guessing every decision I made. Now don’t get me wrong, a mood board can change and be altered throughout each project but it still helps to keep the focus and vision of the original idea right in hand.
Also, If I can admit something to you, this pantry project has been my biggest headache when it comes to paint choice. You wanna know a little secret… I actually left out paint colors on my mood board because I truly can’t decide. I have visions of both light and bright to moody and dark and everything in between. I really do love both for so many reasons.
So, today we are finally getting those samples on the wall and I’m going to live with them for a few days and see what my gut tells me!
Oh, and if you have any suggestions I’m open to them all. No, seriously, Ill be waiting for your suggestions!! 😁
Here are a few of my inspirations when It came to designing the pantry!! Its no secret that Jean Stoffer is the queen of design. She is one of those that truly brings every ‘chapter’ of a home to life!
Now, do you see my dilemma in my paint choice ??
Stay tuned for paint updates and more in the coming days!
And as always… take a deep breath, smile and remember that this very moment is quite the miracle.
