Picking Paint Colors for Your New House

You've just bought a new house that is in dire need of new paint colors - or perhaps you've been living in your house for some time, and it's overdue for some fresh paint.... Whatever the case, you now have the daunting task of picking the paint colors. And not just any paint colors - those which you love and with which you are happy and satisfied. With this subject, I'm speaking more about the interior paint because the exterior paint usually only involves one main choice - the body of the house. The trim and shutters are usually easier choices. But it's the inside of the house that can drive a person crazy....  And I can tell you just how much from my own recent, first-hand experience.

Having lived in my house in Weston, MA for 10+ years, I am not a new home buyer, but I have struggled with interior house painting just as you may have. Each time I have painted interior rooms, I have found the experience to be difficult, confusing and frustrating at times. And because of this, I wanted to share a few thoughts and tips that I have learned about the picking of interior paints in an effort to make the process potentially easier for you (at least I hope that's the case):

• Paint a sample of the paint color on the wall. Do you agree that it's virtually impossible to tell from the paint wheel what the color is going to look like on the wall that you're painting? My suggestion is to buy a paint sample, and paint it on your wall. Furthermore, when doing this, you might want to paint the whole wall. Don't make the mistake that I did.... I painted a color sample in my daughter's room but just painted a few strokes, and once the room was fully painted, it had a very different look and the effect was much different than when just a few paint strokes were on the wall. Frustrated by this, I turned my focus online, and I found the Benjamin Moore website, which ended up serving as an incredible resource with extremely valuable information. You can order samples online, and the website also provides Best Selling Paint Colors, Color Trends, Designer Favorites and much more - priceless information from my perspective. So the bottom line is that I learned from my error and found a fabulous resource in the meantime.
• Consider how much light the room gets. If the room you are painting is doused in sunlight from morning to evening, the pastel color that you have picked, for example, might get washed out. On the other hand, if the room is dark and you choose a navy blue color, the effect of the color once the room is fully painted will likely be darker than anticipated. Decorations and wall hangings - and all of the colors therein - can also influence the paint color and bring out different hues in the color. These are factors you will likely want to consider when making the important paint color choices.

• Keep in mind the colors of the rooms in your house as you make decisions. I picked two entirely different blue colors for my daughter's and son's rooms, which happen to be next to one another. At least I thought they were entirely different colors. But once on the walls, the blues looked almost identical. And now, when I walk up the stairs to the second floor and take in both paint colors as I do so, the paint colors look the same, and it bothers me. A lot. I didn't think about putting blue colors in rooms right next door to one another because I thought that the blues were different enough that they wouldn't end up looking so similar. My bad as they say.... But instead of doing anything about it for now, I'm going to live with it, and see how I feel over time. The good news is that the kids don't care. They love their blue colors - despite the fact that they're almost identical and their rooms are right next door to one another.
• Consult with your painter. Sometimes your painter can add incredible insight, expertise and perspective on your paint color decisions - after all, s/he paints every day all day. That being said, your painter might also shy away from weighing in on these discussions and decisions as s/he doesn't want to be culpable and bear a sense of responsibility if you ultimately hate the color. Ask and see where your painter falls on the advice spectrum - if s/he is willing to consult, it could be a great help.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Have you been a new home buyer with many rooms to paint and faced the dilemmas of which colors to pick for which rooms? Or maybe you bought a house with perfect paint colors and so there was no need to paint? Or what about those of you who have lived in your house for several years but need a change of colors? What are your recommendations for interior painting and picking the right colors? I can't wait to hear....

For more information on this or on the real estate market in Weston, Wellesley, Wayland and the surrounding towns, please contact me, Lisa Curlett (781-267-2844 or www.homesalesbylisa.com), to answer any questions or for a complimentary home appraisal.