The shade you pick can either be the focal point or it can seamlessly blend into a room, allowing other accents to take center stage. Regardless of how it translates, it’s the backdrop for everything else and conducts how different parts of your home feel. At the end of the day though, as one interior designer pointed out: it’s merely paint. It’s temporary and fixable. But to help you make the best decision on the first go, several designers gave their input on what should always be considered before the first brushstroke. “To simplify it: If your room is facing north/south, the sun isn’t going to shine directly into the room so it will be indirect and much cooler than east/west sunlight,” he explains. “This will affect whether colors will need warmer or cooler undertones to balance out the color temperature of the outside light.” Not every room, budget, or schedule will allow for this. Don’t worry though—the two experts have a helpful hack. “If it’s not possible to do this, create a color board by painting your choice on a large board and moving it around the space.” “For instance, a white wall in a room of pink furniture will look blush, which might be good,” they note. “If you wanted stark white, choose one with a hint of blue and it will resist the pink shading from the furniture.” “I always encourage clients to consider their favorite color, the color they wear the most, and the color they’re most intrigued by,” says Leah Alexander of Beauty Is Abundant. “Sometimes they’re the same. Other times they’re not.” This can spark inspiration and break down worries about choosing something too wild or too boring. Alexander also notes there’s an even more essential thing to remember. “It’s just paint,” she says. “Nothing too permanent. Have fun.” “I have a client who loves blue,” explains Morris. “Instead of painting the room blue, where the color can be lost in the entirety of the space, we painted it a medium-toned beige. Why? Beige brings out the blue tones and allows your eye to see the blue color!” Not taking these into account can lead to slightly off color combinations or palettes that feel like an eye sore. “When picking a paint color it’s important to consider the mood you want to create in a space,” explains Ramchandani. “Dark and moody spaces require deep tones whereas cheerful spaces work best with bright colors. Light and airy typically lends itself to whites and tonals.”
