How to Choose Paint Colors for Every Room in your Home
Home Renovation Timelines are Made to be Flexible
Okay so a lot of you that have been following along with my home renovation projects are probably wondering why I did things a little out of order. Painting typically should come first, prior to refinishing hardwood floors but this girl is on a tight timeline and currently approaching week three of hotel living. So…knowing that my furniture is being moved in on Saturday, I switched things up a bit to ensure they had the proper amount of time to be sanded down, stained, and dried. And in my defense, I was originally told that it would take two full weeks for everything to be completed (new kitchen flooring being installed and stained too), and it looks like for once we are going to be slightly ahead of schedule by TWO WHOLE DAYS!!!
Anyway, to make things work I moved up the flooring and moved back my painters, so this week is all about painting and I can’t freaking wait. When I first bought this house back in the spring, there were some interesting bedroom colors upstairs that I was prepared to say goodbye to. What I wasn’t prepared for though, was how much I had procrastinated on finalizing my paint choices. I knew the general paint color and mood I wanted to go for in most rooms but narrowing down the perfect choice per room for a whole house was an undertaking that I underestimated.
To be on the safe side, I decided to paint a good majority of my house in my favorite white, Alabaster by Sherwin Williams. I’m a sucker for contrasting windows, wood trim, and furniture that brings out the bold touches in a home and plan to lean into that as I have in the past.
However, a couple of rooms I have decided to go bold! At the beginning of this year I highlighted some of my favorite 2021 design trends, and bold paint colors were a top contender for me. I love how a moody room can set the tone and accentuate details in such a settle way. Check out some of my 2021 favorites and my color selections for my Tangletown 2-story below!
Tangletown 2-Story interior Paint winners
Living Room - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Sunroom - Green Black by Sherwin Williams
Entry Way + Staircase - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Dining Room - Rockwood Shutter Green by Sherwin Williams
Kitchen - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Kitchen Cabinets - Creamy White by Benjamin Moore
Basement - Downpipe by Farrow and Ball
Basement Bathroom - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Owner’s Suite - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Owner’s Suite Closet - Midnight Dream by Benjamin Moore
Guest Bedroom 1 - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Guest Bedroom 2 - Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Upstairs Bathroom - Jasper by Sherwin Williams
Paint Color Inspiration
Rockwood Shutter Green by Sherwin Williams
Green Black by Sherwin Williams
Alabaster by Sherwin Williams
Midnight Dream by Benjamin Moore
Picking the right Paint Color
Do you ever feel like you look at someone’s house and fall in love with the paint selections they made but then look at your own home and don’t know where to start? Well, you’re not alone. What I always suggest is…
Find some inspiration photos so you can get an idea of the theme that you’re drawn to. Me lately…it’s been all about moody, deep colors.
From there, narrow down what color family you love. For me it’s all about neutrals + greens.
I then start to hone in on the shade of white or grey or green (etc.) based on the rooms I’m focused on, the number of windows and the sun exposure. If I know it’s going to be a sun filled room with southern exposure, I’m okay going a little darker because it will naturally be lit up.
To take it one step further, I think about what will be going into the room. Think flooring, light fixtures, and furniture. They all play a role in what hues are pulled out of the paint color in your room.
Last step is to TEST a few options!! Be sure to put them on each wall in the room, and check them at different times of the day. In certain lighting it will look darker than others, or cooler, or warmer. You want to be sure you love it before spending the time and money to put it all over your walls.
Does Color Matching Paint really work?
You might be thinking, “Well Jen, all of those steps sound fine and dandy, but I just want this specific color in this photo, and want to skip the rest.” Going this route is totally fine, but I would highly recommend you still think through steps 4 and 5. Your home has its only finishes, features, and furnishings so it’s important to ensure that your color of choice will be a good match.
If you think it would still be a good fit, what you can do is one of two things. You can do a little digging online and see if you can find the name and brand of the color. I typically head to google and/or Pinterest and tend to have some luck. If you found it on Instagram, typically you can message the account handle to see if they know the details. From there, you can head into any paint store, whether it is the correct brand or not, and they will color match the paint for you.
If you can’t narrow down the name and color, places like Sherwin Williams has interior designers that are quite good at helping narrow down a few paint selections based on a photo. A couple of caveats…
The photo may have been edited, which would adjust the lighting and hue of the original paint color
Depending on what other items are in the photo, it might reflect warmer or cooler tones in the photo. Take for instance a black soapstone countertop vs. butcher block countertop. The paint color will appear different next to black vs. a warm brown.
Either way, you should be able to get the exact color, if not close to it, and then you can take a sample home to test it out. I know a lot of paint stores are not offering samples right now because of the shortage, but a little hint….if you head to Menards, they can color match for you and will give you a sample. Just keep it on the DL.
The Importance of Final Walkthroughs
No matter the job, final walkthroughs after each stage of a project is a must. Take for instance drywall, the drywallers have to finish before painting can begin. Once they are done, it is super important to check their work because if any corners weren’t completed properly, or a nook forgot to be sanded down, it will delay the next stage of contractors…in this case the painters.
When I did my drywall walkthrough I noticed a spot on the ceiling that would not get covered by the crown molding, and therefore needed to be touched up. I also found two areas behind radiators that were missed during the sanding process. These were all called out the day the painters arrived to start their prep work. Think laying down and taping protective floor coverings, taping windows/trim, filling nail holes, caulking trim, etc. By doing this final walkthrough during the painters prep work, it then allowed the drywallers two extra days to make the necessary final edits prior to painting.
On top of that, any last minute color changes I wanted to make, could be done. Because professional painters first tape off everything, then fill nail holes, then paint trim, and THEN move on to painting walls…I had a few extra days to change my mind. They then pick up the new paint color(s) (at contractor discounted rates) and take care of the rest!
Don’t forget about The finishing touches
The importance of taking care of “the gap” is a real thing. And no I’m not talking about a thigh gap ;) When you’re examining your ceilings, archway trim, or any millwork for that matter, I’m sure there has been a time or two that you’ve noticed dark shades where the evidence of a gap between the wall or next piece of trim meet. Well, this is where caulking comes into play.
Depending on your property and the appearance you would like it to portray, by taking the time to caulk every area that could have a gap it is a great first step before starting to paint. This gives the added professional finishing touch that helps elevate your home amongst the rest. No…you aren’t going to see an ROI by taking this step, but as you apply these added elements of finishes into account, it helps add up across your home or property. It’s all in the details you guys! Be sure to add this step to your process if it isn’t already!
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Painting pitfalls
When it comes to renovations, and everything else in life, I am all about efficiency. If something takes longer than it should (or than I think it should), it drives me bonkers. Well, when you think about electricians, carpenters, plumbers, etc. a lot of times you can just hire more head count to speed up the process. Unfortunately, with painting, you can’t rush things along. Primer and paint needs time to dry before you can move on to the next stage.
A great example is the trim work. The painters use a sprayer for all of the trim pieces to ensure it gets a good solid coat on all of the intricacy and millwork details. This is great because it helps cover every nook and cranny, and tends to go at a quicker speed than doing it by hand. The annoying part is that you have to wait for the trim to dry before moving onto the walls because the trim then needs to be taped off. Can you see why painting is not my favorite part of the process. When time is just standing still and no work can be done, it drives me a bit bonkers. Oh well.
Sincerely,
Jen
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Investor // Landlord and DIYer // Realtor // Business Consultant // Globe Trotter // Converting Vegan.
