Getting your new home ready for “move in day” is always exciting. And one of the first places to start is with the choices of wall and trim colors. With a new house this can be daunting, especially since there are no furnishings in place to help guide your decision-making. However, you might want to take your cues from the inside finishes in your new home. What colors are on the floor? Are there beams, a stone fireplace, paneling, or built in bookcases?
One way I begin choosing paint colors is to stand in the entry hall with the paint chips and booklets I’ve gathered. This entry hall color might carry through all of the hallways, up and down, for continuity. For other rooms that flow into one another (like a kitchen and family room) think about choosing one color for both. This will help “open up” the area and give it a unified look. Individual rooms like dining rooms and bedrooms can be “unique” colors but should still be complimentary to the overall scheme.
And don’t forget ceilings and trim—important surfaces that are often painted plain “white.” But remember—all whites are not the same! Some carry yellow or grey tones—others have blue or beige hues. The hue color will reflect from the ceiling onto other surfaces of the room and can lend subtle or dramatic appeal to the room.
For trim—you’ll likely choose one overall color throughout the house to unify spaces. For a bit of pizzazz I like to vary trim used on windows versus the rest of the trim in the house. I usually choose the doorway and molding color first, then find a similar color one or two levels away for the window trim. I like the way this lends interest and depth to a room.
From the entry hall, walk through each room and pin up your chosen paint chips. You might hang two chips in each room—one in a dark corner and one in a sunny area. Then, view these chips at different times of the day—because the way colors are perceived change according to light. If you can’t visit your new house at all hours of the day or evening, then take a set of chosen paint chips to your current home and hang these on the wall. And don’t be afraid to mix and match colors from different paint companies – there are no hard and fast rules here!
Once you’ve made your selections, hang all of the paint chips on a wall together (or lay them out on a table) and make sure they “work” together. Also be sure to label each chip with the manufacturer, color code, and room designated.
Have fun!
