Picking paint colors for your home can seem like an overwhelming part of a home decorating project. While there are nearly an endless number of choices, magazines and decorating websites can help you narrow down the selection. Painting sample colors on your walls may seem like an unnecessary step, but it could save you time in the end.
White
Many people think of white as the absence of color, yet white walls can have a dramatic impact on your decorating scheme. With their long, dark winters, Scandinavian decorators understand the important role of white in bringing light to an interior space. Cool white looks crisp and bright while off-white provides subtle warmth. Painting the ceiling and walls the same shade of white adds continuity and saves time spent taping the ceiling.
Brown
From sandy tan to deep espresso, brown walls create warm, cozy spaces. Dark colors help a large room seem more intimate, while lighter shades of beige provide an open and spacious feeling. Brown wall treatments mimic a variety of natural surfaces, including pale parchment, limestone blocks and distressed leather.
Gray
Gray offers the neutrality of beige yet trades coziness for crispness. Warm gray looks smoky while cool grays take on a silvery cast. Select a shade of gray paint to match your floors. Cool gray pairs well with light wood and blue granite flooring while brown-gray picks up on the warmth of hardwood and cork floors.
Red
Red is a bold shade of paint that fits a wide range of decorating styles. Glossy orange-red walls suggest the surface of Chinese cinnabar lacquer. Distressed wall treatments in burnt orange and terracotta take on an authentic look of a Tuscan villa. Walls painted a muted red and Southwestern décor create an interior equally at home in a traditional adobe home or a modern ranch house.
