Choosing a Colour Palette for your Home  

Choosing a paint colour is never an easy job. The physical exhaustion of a DIY painting job is a thing all on its own, but choosing your home’s colours can be quite a nightmare too. The colours you choose should complement your home for years and it is wise to take your time when choosing the right colour palette for your home.   

According to Gabrielle Chariton, there’s little doubt that colour is a powerful decorating tool. “Colour works at an architectural level to define and link spaces and highlight the interesting details of your home. It tricks the eyes and the mind, making spaces appear either open and airy or cosy and intimate. Color also works on an emotive level, creating mood and atmosphere. It can be sophisticated, uplifting, sombre or vibrant. Creating a colour palette for your home, then, is often a highly personal task,” she says. 

Buckle Down  

Choosing the right colour for your interior and exterior should be well thought about. Designers are using a lot of shades of grey complimented by white in contemporary homes. Brighter colours work well with homes that incorporate natural materials like stone or brick and metals such as corrugated iron. Traditionally designed homes always tend to be white, but homeowners are experimenting with muted tones such as light yellows, blues and greens.  

If you are in the process of selling your house, the DIY Network recommends selecting a white or off-white colour as the choice for walls. This will allow the buyer to repaint the wall with their choice of colour and will give your rooms a brighter and clean appearance. However, take full advantage of the hundreds of paint selections and brochures at your local paint store as well as talk to a salesperson about the various colour schemes for the look you want.   

Essentially you want the colour you use outside to compliment the interior of your home too. Choose focus walls and bedrooms to experiment with colour, paint types and painting techniques. Face brick can also be painted and is a trend designers like to use for focus walls.  

You can change the feel of any room in your house with a little planning and some colour, varying the shades for a certain look or feel.  

Let it Flow  

Lifestyle writer, Denise O’Connor says “one of the biggest mistakes people make when painting their homes is not considering adjacent rooms and how the room works as a whole. The colours in your home – especially on the same floor – should have a cohesive palette and should complement each other. Pull together swatches for each room and ensure they all complement each other.  

Further, try to stay away from trends – as we know, this can result in your paint job being outdated faster than anticipated. Making use of dark colours is also a great way to give any room a strong personality. O’Connor also says that homeowners should not be afraid to use dark colours. “There is a misconception that painting a room dark will make it feel small but it can have the opposite effect. The trick when choosing a dark colour is your choice of shade. Go for a slightly chalky version of your preferred colour. Dark tones can fall into the category of neutral, and they also form the perfect backdrop for hanging art”.