How to Choose A Paint Color

Pop quiz! What's the easiest and wallet-friendliest way to update a room?

If you said paint, put a gold star next to your name! Boo ya!

Last week we chatted about why it's important to make a plan before you start pulling a room together -- summary: because you don't want to STILL be working on the bathroom like I am -- and a big slice of that particular pie is choosing a paint color.

I've had a handful of people complain to me about this part, and it turned out that all of them bought their paint too early in the process and hated it. (Full disclosure, I've also done this! But never again.) If you do a couple of things first, you won't want to throw the can out of a moving vehicle.

>> Get inspired. Like I tell you to do for every project, look at some pictures! You can get your Pinterest on, buy some magazines, check out decor books at the library, whatever. Just look at some actual rooms to make sure you're on the right track. And obviously, pictures are a good place to start if you're not sure what to do.

Hi, favorite kitchen!

>> Gather swatches. It might seem like overkill, but every time I decide to paint something (which is often) I bring home about 10 color swatches. Even when I know what general color I want, there are still 95 million shades to choose from and I want to make sure I have a good cross-section of what will work. So just take a bunch of them home and tape them to the wall. I like to leave mine up for at least 24 hours, just to see how they look at various times of day. Light plays a big part in how paint will look, so make sure you check them out at night, too.

Another thing to keep in mind as you eyeball the swatches: undertone. Wait, let me emphasize that a little more. UNDERTONE. Let's say you're looking at a gray (good choice!) and you realize it seems kind of blue-ish. That's the undertone. For my visual learners, I made you a picture:

Amherst Gray has a brown tinge to it, which makes it a warm gray, while Gray Shower is obviously blue-based, and therefore on the cool side of the coin. It's important to pay attention to this because undertones are what make a room feel harmonious, even when a lot of colors are in play. (Mixing undertones can make things clash-y). Look at those two grays again. See how easy it is to tell them apart when they're right next to each other? Your swatches work the same way, just hold them together and toss the ones that are the wrong tone.

When you're done, turn them into a calendar! Boom!

>> Buy test pots. Once you've narrowed the field to two or three favorites, it's time to get some samples. The sizes will vary a little bit by brand, but they'll be a few ounces of paint and will run you about $3 per color. Put the paint on at least two walls, again, for light-checking purposes. The swatches are usually a good color match, but if you're painting a big room it's a good move to stick some actual paint up there, just to be safe.

>> Pick what YOU like. At this point, it's all about what you think looks best. I don't know many people aside from myself who want to re-paint things all the time, so go with your gut and pick your favorite sample, even if it's not super trendy. (Or trendy at all.) As long as you're into it, that's all that matters.

This just makes me happy.

What paint colors are you feeling right now? Any projects in the works? Do you have any other tips to share with the class?