Choosing the perfect paint color can feel overwhelming. With thousands of shades available, where do you even begin? The fear of picking the wrong color and having to live with the regret (or worse, repaint) can be paralyzing. Let’s break down the process step by step to make this decision easier and more enjoyable. By following my process for how I choose paint colors for my personal projects or when working together as a designer, you’ll gain the confidence to pick a color you’ll love that flows with your space.

Let’s jump right in!

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Step 1: Determine the Mood and Vibe

Start by envisioning the mood or vibe you want for your space. Do you want it to be calm and serene? Bright and energetic? Cozy and inviting? Your desired atmosphere will guide your choice of color palette.

Creating the Right Atmosphere

Imagine walking into a recently renovated bathroom with warm neutrals like white and cream with touch of blue. You’ll instantly get a sense for a calm, relaxing vibe. Now think of a moody powder room with deep charcoal walls and dramatic lighting and bold wallpaper. Two totally different different vibes. Both are great, it just depends what YOU want to feel in the space. The colors (not just paint colors!) you choose will set the tone for the entire room.

If you’re aiming for a serene bedroom, you might lean towards a softer palette. For a dramatic dining room that makes a statement, rich, dark hues could be your best bet. Knowing the atmosphere you want helps narrow down whether you’re looking for light, mid-tone, or dark colors.

Questions to Consider:

• Do you want the space to feel light and airy, or dark and cozy?
• Are you drawn to bright, bold colors or soft, neutral tones?
• How do you want to feel when you walk into the room?

Step 2: Start with Popular Colors

Once you’ve decided on the general feel, it’s time to explore specific colors. A good starting point is to look at popular paint colors from trusted brands like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams. These shades are popular for a reason—they’ve been tried and tested in various settings and tend to look great in different lighting conditions. You can also find plenty of images using popular paint colors online or on Pinterest which helps to gather inspiration. While you definitely aren’t stuck following the crowd and selecting a popular paint color, they do give a great starting point and you can expand your search if needed.

Trusted Favorites

Think of these popular colors as the “little black dress” of interior design. They’re versatile, timeless, and work well in many different scenarios. Here are some of my go-to favorite paint colors that are widely used:

Whites:

• Benjamin Moore White Dove: A warm, soft white that’s versatile and inviting.
• Sherwin-Williams Alabaster: A creamy white that works beautifully in any space.

Gray/Beiges:

• Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter: A perfect balance of gray and beige, creating a warm, neutral backdrop.
• Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige: A light beige with a hint of gray, ideal for a cozy, neutral palette.

Blues:

• Benjamin Moore Hale Navy: A deep, rich navy that adds drama and sophistication.
• Sherwin-Williams Sea Salt: A soft, calming blue-green that’s perfect for bathrooms or bedrooms.

Greens:

• Benjamin Moore Saybrook Sage: A muted green that brings a touch of nature indoors.
• Sherwin-Williams Clary Sage: A soft, serene green that pairs well with neutral tones.

Step 3: Consider the Lighting in Your Room

Lighting is a game-changer when it comes to paint colors. The same color can appear dramatically different in various lighting conditions. The amount and type of light a room receives throughout the day will impact how the color looks on your walls.

Lighting Tips:

• North-facing rooms tend to pull cooler, making colors appear more blue or gray. Consider warmer tones to balance this effect.
• South-facing rooms get plenty of warm, natural light, making colors look warmer and brighter. Cooler tones can help offset this.
• East-facing rooms have cooler light in the morning and warmer light in the afternoon. Mid-tone colors often work well here.
• West-facing rooms enjoy warm light in the afternoon and evening. Be cautious with bold colors that might become too intense under this light.

Think of how sunlight changes throughout the day. Morning light is cooler and crisper, while afternoon light is warmer and softer. A gray paint that looks perfect in the soft afternoon light might seem too cold and stark in the morning. This is why testing your chosen paint colors in different lighting conditions is crucial. We’ll cover sampling paint colors in a moment 🙂

Step 4: Understand Undertones

Undertones are the subtle hues present in a paint color that become more visible under certain lighting. For example, a gray paint might have blue, green, or purple undertones that you only notice in specific lights or when it’s next to another color with opposite undertones.

Identifying Undertones

Think of undertones like the background music at a party. It’s not the main event, but it sets the tone and can make or break the atmosphere. To identify undertones, compare your paint swatch against a true neutral (pure white) to see the underlying color more clearly. Maria Killam goes into great detail covering undertones – she’s the undertone queen! Seriously, there’s wayyyyyy more to it than you might think.

If you’re decorating a room with a lot of existing elements like tile, flooring, or furniture, make sure the undertones in your paint color complement these features. For instance, if your kitchen backsplash is a cool white, choose a paint color with similar cool undertones to maintain harmony. If your beige carpet has warm undertones, a warm beige paint will keep the room cohesive.

What you don’t want to do is choose a paint color with an opposite undertone than your existing elements. Choosing a green undertone if your carpet has an undertone of pink will instantly clash. It will muddy up the colors and neither the walls or carpet will look great. Instead, look for a beige paint with pink undertones to create a harmonious look.

Step 5: Check the LRV (Light Reflectance Value)

LRV measures the amount of light a paint color reflects or absorbs, on a scale from 0 (absorbs all light) to 100 (reflects all light). An easy way to remember it is black is 0 and pure white is 100. Understanding LRV helps you predict how light or dark a color will look in your space so you don’t paint the walls a color and then realize that it makes the room feel darker than you intended.

LRV Guidelines:

• High LRV (70-100): Colors in this range reflect more light, making spaces feel brighter and larger. I
• Mid LRV (50-70): These colors strike a balance, offering richness without making the room too dark. Perfect for creating a cozy yet airy feel.
• Low LRV (0-50): Colors here absorb more light, creating a moody, intimate atmosphere. Great for accent walls or rooms where you want a dramatic effect.

For most wall colors, I generally stick to an LRV between 50-80 to keep the space inviting and balanced. If you’re aiming for a more dramatic, moody vibe, then you want a lower LRV.

Step 6: Test Samples in Your Space

Before committing to a paint color, it’s essential to test it in your home. Put a sample on the wall and observe it at different times of the day to see how the light changes the color.

I love the peel-and-stick samples that offer a mess-free way to test colors without buying multiple sample cans. They ship straight to your door in 1-2 days! Super convenient.

Sampling Tips:

• Test Multiple Colors: Compare a few different shades to see which one you prefer in your space.
• View in Various Lights: Check how the color looks in the morning, afternoon, and evening light.
• Sample on different walls: In addition to viewing the samples at different times of day, you also want to sample the paint colors on different walls. This can also impact the color. You don’t want to find out that the color pulls blue on one wall but not the others. Seriously, you will be surprised how different they might look.

Get peel and stick paint samples here – under $6 per sample sheet!

I sample several different paint colors because it’s difficult to know how a paint color is truly going to look in the space until you see it with its surroundings. One time when I selected a paint color I thought was a good option, and then after sampling it looked flat out yellow, not cream! Definitely not the look I was going for. Thankfully we sampled before buying gallons of paint and painting.

No shame in trying a few different colors and eliminating from there.

Additional Tips for Choosing Paint Colors

Visualize with Technology

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what a color will look like on your walls just from a small swatch. That’s where technology and AI comes in handy! Many paint companies now offer virtual painting tools where you can upload a photo of your room and see how different colors will look. This can be a great way to narrow down your choices before testing samples in person. I even used an AI program to help “paint” the exterior of our house

Consider the Whole House

While each room in your home can have its own personality, it’s also important to think about the flow from one room to the next. Choose colors that complement each other to create a cohesive look throughout your home. More on creating a whole house color palette here.

Trust Your Instincts

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you love the color. If you’re drawn to a particular shade, trust your instincts and go for it. Your home should reflect your style and make you happy every time you walk in the door.

Choosing a paint color might seem daunting, but with a thoughtful approach, it becomes an exciting part of designing your home. Start with the mood you want to create, explore popular shades, consider your room’s lighting and undertones, understand the LRV, and always test samples before making your final decision.

Remember, the goal is to find a color you love—one that makes your space feel uniquely yours. I truly believe if you fill your home with colors and pieces you love, you will love your home. There is not just one “right” paint color. A wide variety of colors will work in any given space, it’s just a matter of finding the one you like best!

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