Stick to a simple, yet effective, colour scheme to make the most out of your living room paint colour choice. Photo: Dreamstime/TNS
Choosing a fresh paint colour for a dull living room can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. According to the pros, picking the best living room paint colour can even be achieved in a few simple steps.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what they had to say:
First, select colours from objects in your living room.
“Take a pillow from the family-room sofa, your favourite tie or scarf, or a painting – anything that conveys comfort or has an emotional connection for you – and take that object to the paint store,” architectural colour consultant Bonnie Krims told This Old House.
“Find three sample strips with those colours, and you instantly have 15 to 18 colours you can use, since each sample strip typically contains six paint colours.”
Next, choose a paint colour from the trio of options. This will be your wall colour, while the other two colours can be used around the room through fabrics and furnishings.
Krims is not the only expert that believes in the importance of a good colour scheme. According to Behr Paint’s colour expert and vice president of colour and creative services Erika Woelfel, sticking to a colour scheme is a simple way to keep things practical.
“Be sure that your wall colour doesn’t clash with focal points throughout the room,” Woelfel told My Domaine. “A general rule is to stick to one palette of three to five colours. One white or light colour, one to two neutrals, and one or two supporting colours.”
Too many colours can be a pain on the senses, especially after a tiring day at work. Stick to a simple, yet effective, colour scheme to make the most out of your living room paint colour choice.
Bright colours can look dazzling on a paint chip or colour swatch, but going bright can be a bad idea.
“The biggest mistake people make, especially when they’re staring at a wall of paint swatches, is they end up going too clear with the colour – like a kid’s crayon blue instead of something a little bit more muted and sophisticated,” Rebecca West, founder of Seriously Happy Homes, told Apartment Therapy.
While bright colours can be used effectively in the home, utilising them as living room paint colours often requires expertise. West contrasted a jar full of jelly beans and a jar full of beautiful river rocks to help explain the conundrum.
“They are both full of gorgeous colours, but those natural hues are going to be more timeless, long-lasting, and easy on the eyes,” she said. – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/Tribune News Service
