It is the New Year and time to start attending to those resolutions you have made such as “I am going to renew the interior of my home/office/room by selecting a different paint color”. There is something truly wonderful about a fresh new paint color in a room as it will instantly change the appearance of your décor while freshening up your space. It is one of the most economical redecorating tools available and a quick way to uplift the interior of your home (or exterior).

Remember you do not have to tackle all of the rooms at once; it is best to start off with a single room, complete it and move on to the next. Hiring a painting professional to do the work for you is strongly suggested if you simply cannot stand the thought of painting. In addition if you have difficulty envisioning what your room will look like from a small paint chip then I also strongly advise that you hire a professional to give you a paint/color consultation to lead you in the right direction so that you will be thrilled with your new paint color choice for years to come.

Pointers to consider when painting your interior:

Ceilings should be a different color than your walls. They are two different surfaces and treating them differently will create dimension and add visual interest.

Ceilings should always be painted in a flat finish.

Colorful furnishings? Then balance the room by using a subtle color on your walls.

Consider painting rooms different colors; this will add uniqueness to your decor.

Don’t make the mistake of jumping from bright to cool colors room to room as this can make your décor appear disconnected.

There should always be a “flow” with regard to color as you go from room to room. Don’t change colors too drastically; use either a complimentary palette or a monotone color palette.

Accent walls are great for creating the illusion of depth or width in a room. Colors must be selected carefully to achieve this look. Do not do an accent wall because you feel that you have to. Accent walls should be done only for a certain purpose such as creating the illusion of depth or width in a room or creating a division from one room to another if you have a large partition wall in an open floor plan.

Factors that can making choosing the right color difficult:

1. Natural Light vs. Enhanced Lighting.  Paint colors look different under different types of light and during different times of the day. 
2. Size of the room to be painted.  Dark colors will make rooms appear smaller in size thus I recommend that dark colors are used in rooms with a lot of light or rooms that are very large.
3. Existing elements in the room such as carpet, furnishings, window treatments, artwork, etc.
4. Paint swatches are not a true representation of the exact color
5. I always suggest getting a small sample and testing it on your wall(s) first before purchasing all of the paint for your space.
6. Old color below the new color being painted
7. Time of the day (shadows and shading)
8. Sunlight (especially if you are selecting colors for your exterior)Sheen of the paint (also known as the “finish”)
9. Color selected is inappropriate for the use of the room.  Bedrooms should have soothing and restful colors; kitchens can be bright; dining rooms can be colorful and vibrant . . .
10. Suggested use of Colors presented in the paint manufacturer’s brochure might not be right for your application or space due to any of the above!

Remember, you do not have to tackle this New Year’s Resolution alone!  A single hour consultation with a professional can get you started in the right direction and get your New Year’s off to a great change and a great start.  You do not have to do every room at once but it is great to have a plan for all of the new paint colors that you will use from room to room so that the end result will become a cohesive flow.