My Home Colors + A Few Tips And Tricks

I am asked all the time what paint colors we used in our home, so I have decided to give my lovely readers all of the details right here. I thought I might also provide a few helpful hints for picking your own colors as well.

The most important thing to remember when considering different color options is that just because you like a paint color in someone else’s home, does not necessarily mean that it will look the same in your home. Picking colors can be a tricky thing because so often, they tend to look different depending on the lighting, size of the room, and the feel of the space. I absolutely love our paint colors, but I may not have picked the same colors if we lived in a different home. Our colors can look extremely different depending on the time of day. For instance, our walls painted in Mozart Blue have a tendency to look very green in certain lighting, and though Stone Harbor is technically a grey, it can look very beige. I have found that it is very important to pick the correct colors for your space in order to best bring out the character of your home.

In order to do this, there are a few steps you can follow to ensure you pick the perfect colors for your home. If you find a color that you think you might like, make sure that you test in out in at least two different spots with different types of lighting. It’s definitely worth the few dollars to buy a sample of the color you think you might like and try it out first. I promise this is better than buying a whole gallon and hating it (we have all done this – no fun!). I would suggest trying a bit of your sample paint near a naturally well-lit area (such as by a window – natural light will give you the most accurate idea of what that color really looks like), as well as in a darker corner of your home. This will ensure that you are truly happy with the color you have chosen no matter the lighting!

If you really like a specific color, but it just isn’t looking right in your home, try the same color a shade lighter or darker – this may just do the trick! Don’t be afraid to test several different colors, you might be surprised with how a color looks up on the wall as opposed to on the sample card. I can tell you our colors look completely different on the walls than they did on the cards in the store. When it comes to picking multiple colors, it is important to have continuity throughout your entire home. We picked four colors, and used them in different ways throughout the entire house. This was very helpful when it came to furnishing and such because we already had a flow going. I’m not saying you have to pick four colors and ONLY use those, but you do need to look at whatever colors you choose and make sure that they work well with each other. In our home, we used our bolder color, Mozart Blue, on two key walls that we knew will be easy to repaint should we get tired of the color. We chose to use a more neutral color, Stone Harbor, throughout our living room and master bedroom. We then used Harbor Haze on our front door, for the stripe in our kitchen, in our laundry room, and in our master bathroom. All of our woodwork is Decorators White.

One last tip is that we always use matte finish (from the Benjamin Moore Regal Line) on our walls (this is easiest for touch-ups because it doesn’t build shine), and pearl for our woodwork. In my opinion, this gives the nicest finish and is very easy to fix if necessary. My Nana has always sworn by matte paint, and now that I have my own home, I can say that I believe she was correct. I love being able to touch-up my paint without worrying about being able to see every spot. Hopefully this guide to choosing colors will help you if you are struggling a bit. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me!