6 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing a Paint Colour

Colour is a very subjective topic. Not only is personal choice important, but also where the paint colour is going to be used in a space. We have put together 6 key questions you should consider before choosing some colour samples.

1. Are your ceilings high or low compared to the size of the room? 

Reducing the contrast between the wall and ceiling colour will help give the impression of a higher ceiling.

Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

2. Where are the doors in the room? Are they better treated as a feature or blended in?  

Use an accent colour to make a feature of your doors or paint them the same colour as the walls to create a seamless effect.

Photo courtesy of Farrow & Ball. Colour 253, Drawing Room Blue.

3. What size are the windows? Are they small or large? Which way do they face? How much light do they let in?

Position your samples in different parts of the room for a more accurate colour representation. If you look at the samples during different times of the day, this will help you see overall how light will affect paint colour in the room.

Photo courtesy of Paint & Paper Library. Colours, Grenache and Lady Charlene.

4. How will the room be used? Is it an entertaining space? A space to relax in? A space to eat in?

Thinking about the psychology of colour will definitely help you create a specific feeling within the space. For example, blue has a calming effect, green has a nurturing effect and purple has a spiritual effect. Testing out colours in a space to see how it makes you feel is a great starting point when choosing colour.

Photo courtesy of Benjamin Moore. 

5. Is the room designed for adults or children?

This will influence the colours chosen, but also whether any special effect paints are suitable – chalkboard paints, whiteboard paints, magnetic paints, glitters and more are available and can create exciting environments for children.

Photo courtesy of Mylands. Colours, Enamel Blue and Red Post Hill.

6. Are you using wallpaper in the space?

Choosing wallpaper first can really help you decide which colour to use on the rest of the walls and trim. Pick out some key colours from the design and see how they look in the room using samples.

Photo courtesy of Little Greene. Wallpaper Broadwick and colour Jewel Beetle.

The world of colour can be easily overwhelming since there is so much choice across all the paint brands. Start by heading into your local Brewers to browse brush out boards and colour cards. You can then invest in a range of colour samples. Painting samples onto lining paper will allow you to move them across the room and you don’t have to worry about having to cover up the samples on your wall once you have settled on your final colour.

If you are looking to use more than one colour, check out our guide on How to Choose a Colour Scheme.