How To Find Great Colors For Your Home's Interior

by Ann Hayward 01/27/2019

Trying to choose colors for the inside and outside of your home can be awfully tricky. Finding which shades mix in order to decorate your rooms can seem dizzying. With a little confidence and some knowledge, you’ll be able to find colors that you’ll love for a long time to come. Here’s some tips to help you find the right mix for your home’s color scheme. 

Look For Inspiration


Whether you’re in your friend’s living room and see a color combo that you really love, or are looking in a magazine and see something unique, make note of it for your own uses.  


Find Colors That You Can Live With


While bright green and orange may look cool together, can you really live with these hues in a room? Discover what colors make you feel a certain way. If the room is meant to make you feel calm and collected, you’ll want to find colors that are soothing to you and your soul. If the room is meant to be more energizing, you’ll want to pick a more vibrant, energetic color. Keep in mind that the color in a room affects the mood of the room. 


Get Plenty Of Samples


From sample color swatches to small cans of paint samples, there’s plenty of resources at your local hardware store to get you started on finding the perfect colors for a room. Be sure to hold the swatches up in different lighting and see how they look in the space by going around the room from wall to wall. This will help you to see how the color will look once it’s actually painted on the walls in different lighting.


Find Matches


The next question that you’ll have once you get your paint up is what kind of colors will go well in this room. It’s good to have a few ideas in mind. If you already own a sofa, for example, start by working with that color. If the sofa is brown, for example, you may not want brown walls as well. Work with what you have first. If you’re buying new furniture and accessories, you may want to work with what you’re hoping to put in the room. The task of choosing colors for the interior of your home involves thinking about both design and function.           


Nature Has Some Answers For You


If you really love the beach, think of the colors that are present there. There’s tan colored sand along with blue skies, blue water, and touches of green from seagrass, trees, and other plants. Nature’s color palette is quite extensive and the good news is that all of the landscapes match! It you look around in nature, you can get a great idea for the beginnings of a fantastic color scheme for any room in your home.

About the Author
Author

Ann Hayward

Born in Philadelphia and raised in the suburbs, Ann Hayward got her Pennsylvania real estate license at age 18 even before going to college. This second-generation real estate professional followed in the footsteps of her father and two uncles, inheriting their passion for the business. Licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia, Ann is accomplished in her career, with numerous designations including SFR, SRES, PSA, WHC, and multiunit Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) from the National Development Council. She specializes in Prince Georges and Montgomery Counties, Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, all jurisdictions where Ann has lived and knows very well. In addition to her professional expertise, she owns and manages personal investment property, understands and has been involved in the renovation/remodeling process, and has great resources which she shares with clients. When you hire Ann to represent you, she will make your buying or selling experience an enjoyable, rewarding one. Her compassion, sensitivity to her clients’ needs, eye for detail, and ability to see the big picture when guiding you through a purchase or sale are unique assets that will ensure your success. A diverse and relevant background also gives Ann a distinct edge. For 30 years, she worked in fast-paced, high-pressure television and theatrical production, attaining the highest achievement – DGA membership as a Director, and as an award-winning staff and freelance writer. Her keen audio visual skills and design sense benefit sellers in marketing their properties, and are invaluable in helping buyers see the potential of space. A true renaissance woman, Ann was also an income tax professional and office manager for H&R Block, so she thoroughly understands the tax and financial implications of acquiring and selling real estate. Her superior organizational skills are further evidenced as owner of a downsizing/professional organizing business, Managed For You, which allows her to connect with everyone from millennials to boomers and seniors, whether for small space planning or assisting with major decluttering and transitioning. Ann holds an AB in American History from Simmons College, Boston, plus attended Robert Wagner Graduate School of Public Administration where she was a candidate for Doctorate. She additionally studied Film Direction at the American Film Institute in LA, and was a Stanford University post-graduate Professional Journalism Fellow. Personally, Ann is an avid if not very good golfer, and the co-founder of a nonprofit 501c3 organization offering educational guidance, tutoring and counseling for youngsters from elementary school through college admission. She sits on the board of trustees of a nonprofit educational film production corporation as well. (202) 494-6252 [email protected]