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Colour Your World
Tips for choosing
the perfect paint colour
BY HEATHER CAMERON
You’re in the middle of painting a room
when you realize something isn’t quite
right. That lovely cheery yellow paint
that you fell in love with on the paint
chip has morphed into a fluorescent
glow. Or perhaps you’ve painted your
walls a great colour, but when you move
your furniture into the space, you
realise that your furniture and paint are
not quite working together.
One of the most important things
to keep in mind when choosing paint is
that you need to see beyond the wall
colour. You have to think about what
particular colours mean to you and
how they relate to everything in your
room. Thus, choosing a good paint
colour starts with good planning.
In the mood
The first thing you want to consider
in your plan is the mood of the room.
Are you looking for modern minimalism,
comfortable contemporary or cozy
cottage? Flip through decorating magazines
and tear out the pages that illustrate
the look you are going for.
jumping-off point
Think of it — there are thousands
of paint colours out there from which
to choose, so why spend hours trying to
find the perfect armchair to match
your wall colour? Instead, once you
have determined your mood, find a
good jumping-off point in fabrics, furniture
or artwork. After all, someone
has already gone to the work of figuring
out what colours make that framed
print or toss pillow look so good, so why
not adopt the same colour approach?
Sampling keeps you sane
Once you have found your jumping-off
point, gather up some paint
samples that enhance the fabric, furniture
or artwork you have. Keep in mind
that the colour of paint samples in the
store can appear quite different when
you see them in your home. If you have
a small jumping-off piece — such as a
pillow — bring it right into the paint
store with you. This will ensure that you
end up bringing home the best assortment
of paint samples possible. Once
you are feeling good about a particular
colour, find out if the store sells largersized
samples. If you are instead using a
sample of the paint from a test pot, it is
suggested you paint two coats on a large
piece of poster board. Move your sample
around the room to see how it looks
in different lights. And don’t just hold it
up on the wall. Slip your tester board or
A Few Colour Tips
One accepted approach to distributing
colour in a room is to think of it
as a math formula. Sixty per cent of
the room should be in the lightest
colour, 30 per cent in a mid-tone
colour and 10 per cent in the peppier
accent colour.
Want to warm a room? Consider
red, orange and yellow hues. Need to
cool things down? Blue, green and violet
are right for you.
When choosing yellow or pink for
a room, you may want to err on the
side of caution. Both these colours can
read as cheery on the chip but can be
downright obnoxious on the wall.
Purchase paint sample pots a few
shades lighter than the chip you have
chosen and you may find after sampling
that the lighter versions are a
better fit for an entire room.
When in doubt, talk it out. The
staff at your local paint store can give
you some great feedback on the
colours and type of paint you are
choosing. Still nervous about making
paint decisions? Many decorators offer
colour consultations to help you find
that perfect colour.
Ottawa Page 12 Due West/Due East Magazine • Summer 2008