Popular Schemes for Painting Rooms

Standing in front of the wall of paint chips at the local design center can be daunting. One can be paralyzed by the overwhelming array of choices out there. Once you know the basic principles of color, your decision becomes easier and less intimdating. 

Nothing changes the feeling of a room quicker or more drastically than paint. For merely the cost of a couple gallons of paint, you can transform the feeling of your room in just a few hours. As with many ventures, the first step is often the hardest to take. Choosing a paint color strikes fear into the heart of even the most steadfast homeowner. However, when you first stop and think about the feeling you want the room to convey and then applying some principles of color, the decision can be a little less intimidating. 

Cool Vibes

The use of cool colors (blues, greens and violets) lends a feeling of calm and serenity to a room. One of these colors makes a good choice for a room such as a bedroom or bathroom for a spa-like vibe. Cool colors also give the impression of pushing the walls of a room outward. These colors are good to use for smaller rooms that you would like to appear larger. 

Warm Thoughts

Conversely, using warm colors (reds, oranges and yellows) make a room feel cozier. These colors draw the walls in, giving a more intimate feel to your space. Colors such as these are well suited to spaces like great rooms and dining rooms where you want the visitors of the room to "sit and stay awhile." 

Variations on a Theme

If you are feeling a little more adventurous in the painting department, you can consider using more than one color on your walls. This effect can be quite striking when the correct colors are chosen. A monochromatic color scheme entails using variations on the same color. A perfect example of this would be using variations of the same color in a striped pattern on your walls. This can be done either vertically, to make your room look taller, or horizontally, to make your room appear wider. Monochromatic colors in your home can be both soothing and elegant when used in this manner. 

Color Complements

For those who would rather take a walk on the bolder side of design, consider using complementary colors in a room. Complementary colors are those opposite each other on the color wheel (i.e. blue and orange). This method works best when you pick one warm color to use as an accent and then use a larger ratio of a coordinating cool color in conjunction. When painting a room in your home, consider picking a warm color to paint one wall (usually the focal wall, perhaps with a fireplace or the wall housing your bed), and then use your cooler color on the other three walls. This painting technique can give an energetic feeling to a space. The bolder the color, the more energetic the room.

Once you decide on the feeling you want to the room to express, choosing the paint color becomes a little less intimidating and a lot more fun!