The colour of a room can make or break its overall look and feel and it’s important that you get it right. Although you may have a colour in mind, there are many factors that you need to consider that may change the paint colours you choose.
As there are no set rules when it comes to choosing paint colours, you can literally choose anything you want. At the end of the day, it’s your home and you should choose the paint colours that you love.
To help you choose a paint colour, we discuss the main factors and rooms to paint below.
North, West, East or South Facing
The way the room faces makes a big difference to the light that enters at certain times of the day as well as its intensity. Therefore, you need to choose a paint colour that reflects the way the room faces.
North facing rooms receive cooler light and it’s advised that you avoid “cool” colours such as green, blue or purple.
East and west facing rooms are bright early on but become cooler throughout the day. This means you could mix between a cool and neutral colour to best suit your preference.
South facing rooms receive the sun and light for the longest, which often has the effect of making certain paints look yellower than they actually are. Therefore, neutral or cool colours are highly recommended for south facing rooms.
Lighter or Darker Colours
Deciding between a lighter or darker colour scheme is a matter of personal preference. Many people prefer a dark colour in their living room or bedroom as it can give a room that desirable cosy look and feel. However, the lighter paint colours can make a room feel more spacious and brighten up a room that lacks in natural light.
Type of Lighting
Depending upon whether you are in the room mostly at night or during the day is also a major factor to consider. This is because the type of lighting used in the room at night may change how the paint looks. Halogen bulbs tend to make certain paints look and feel warmer whereas LED’s can make paints look cooler.
Paint Colours By Room
Living Room
Your living room may be the room you spend the most time in and it’s important that you choose the right paint colour. A recent trend is to use strong dark colours such as a deep blue, which can achieve the cosy look and feel. A strong colour mixed with a white finish on the skirting, coving and ceiling looks great in living rooms. We would recommend a mid-sheen finish upon the skirting boards, which can be achieved with a satinwood paint.
Alternatively, if you have furniture, chairs, rugs or other accessories that are bold in colour, opting for a white, cream or grey paint colour is a great option.
Bedrooms
Most people go to there bedroom to either sleep or relax, therefore you will want to create a cosy ambience. Colours such as grey, blue, green or off-white that provide a contemporary look are recommended.
Kitchen Area
The kitchen can be a difficult paint colour to choose because its dependent upon the existing kitchen setup. For example, the colour of the worktop, oven, cupboards and other accessories can all dictate the right paint colour to choose.
Personally, we tend to choose a white or off-white as they tend to compliment the kitchen cupboards and accessories. However, you could paint your kitchen cupboards too, which can completely transform the room.
Bathroom & Toilets
White walls and ceilings within a bathroom or toilet is highly advised. Not only does it make the room feel more spacious but it also makes it look cleaner, which is what you’ll want in a bathroom.
It’s important to note that in bathrooms where condensation will be present, you’ll want to use a bathroom paint. Unlike standard paints, the bathroom alternative is designed to deal with moisture.
Hallways
Unlike other areas of your home, the hallway may receive the least amount of light, which means you’ll want to avoid dark colours. Your hallway is also one of the most used rooms in the house that can receive a lot of wear and tear too. Therefore, you will want to use a paint that allows you to perform easy touch ups such as an emulsion paint.
Test, Test & Test
Once you have chosen the paint colours that you wish to use, it’s strongly recommend that you purchase tester pots or rollers. This allows you to see how the colour looks in a room before deciding to purchase multiple litres of the paint and spending hours painting the room. We are guilty of changing our minds regularly, so we often purchase multiple samples that we can paint on the wall in order to give us an idea of what it will look like in the room.
Exterior Of Your Home
You may even want to paint the exterior of your home too. If this is the case, you want to be looking at the many masonry paints available on the market. The most popular colour to chose is of course white, which can make your front door, windows and other components standout. However, you may also want to be bold and go for something completely different and pick a shade that takes your fancy.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing a paint colour, we always recommend choosing colours you love. There is no set rules or paint colour you must choose for certain rooms in your house. The above recommendations of paint colours to choose are based upon my own experience as well as current trends in the UK. If you need any advice upon the type of paint you need to use, how to apply it or any recommendations, feel free to get in touch with our team.
