How to Pick Interior Paint Colors

Say you have an idea that a blue wall would be the ticket to a great-looking dining room. The fabrics you’ve selected for the room would coordinate nicely with this interior paint color, but only if it’s the right shade of blue...

Step 1: Puruse the Paint Swatches

Go to the paint store and review the collection of paint colors. Using the loose flags of paint colors, notice the changes in blue on each of the color swatches. There may be ten to 20 flags of blue, each with different tints. What do you do now?

Step 2: Compare Paint Shades

Find the tint you’re looking for and go up and down the shade of this color. This up-and-down shade represents the same color family but a darker and lighter version of the selected color. With me so far?

Step 3: Narrow Your Paint Choices

Purchase sample quarts of all three colors. This will help you narrow down your primary selection, and a lighter and darker version of it. Be aware that when you’re selecting these colors at the store, you’re probably viewing them under a fluorescent light. This isn’t ideal since your home probably has a different bulb temperature. It’s OK because you’re now going to test the colors in the location you’re planning to paint.

Step 4: Select Your Paint Finish

You’ll also need to decide which type of paint finish you want to use: flat, eggshell, stain, semigloss and/or no- or low-VOC environmentally friendly paint. Here’s a quick guide:

• The worse the condition of your walls, woodwork or molding, the more you need to lean towards flat paint.
• Flat or eggshell finishes of paint show little of the drips or irregularities of the old paint layer you’re covering with new paint. It’s not an exciting finish, however, and it’s not as durable as glossy finishes.
• Satin finish is a good choice for old woodwork and doors. It has good durability and can hide irregular drips.
• Semigloss paint is very good for use in bathrooms, kitchens and on doors. It’s durable and cleanable.
• Gloss paint is the most durable finish. It also provides an exciting shine, especially in contemporary interiors, where it draws attention to the molding and doors (if that is what you want to do). Use it only when surfaces are clean and without bumps, drip marks or other imperfections because its shine will enhance any problem.
• Environmentally friendly paints come in all of the above finishes and I recommend them. They can contain no or very low amounts of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in most paints. They’re available from most paint manufacturers.

Step 5: Audition Your Paint Colors

Open all three sample quarts of your chosen color and proceed to paint about a 2-foot square on each wall. You’ll want to test paint at the floor bordering the base molding, in the middle of the wall and near the ceiling or just under the crown molding. Paint with each paint and allow it to dry because paint colors tend to be darker when dry.

Step 6: How Does the Paint Color Look on Your Wall?

View the paint sample patches in the day and in the evening. Stand at distance and view them. Which one looks better for your fabrics and color scheme? Does the color work in the day and in the evening? If yes, great, you’re done! If no, then you will need to pick a different shade.

If you still have plenty of paint flags of blue, purchase just one new quart of the new color and test the paint as before. Continue until you find just the right shade.

Now, as an educated consumer, you too can select the right paint color. You’ve got the method, now just take your time to make the right selection.