How to Choose a House Color Scheme

Here are some tips on how to choose a house color scheme?  Choosing a house paint color scheme is an exciting but challenging task. Can you believe how many whites there are?  Let alone all the other colors.  

When I painted our home after moving in it took a lot of time to figure out the perfect grey.  Thankfully my local Home Depot paint pro was very helpful.  Helping me with the under tones and finding the color I envisioned but couldn't find. It is really hard to explain what you want, it's easier to say nope that's not it. 

Decide on the Base Color

Several years ago the style was different paint colors and textures in each room.  Rag rolling, sponge painting, stripes or bold colors.  I tried to create a flow but it was more broken up then what is trending now. 

To start find a base color that you can use throughout your home.  Then look for additional colors you can incorporate to bring it all together.   Colors that will show up in different rooms in different ways but will tie it all together.

Consider the Architecture and Surroundings

When choosing the color scheme take into account the style and architecture of your home as well as the surrounding environment.  You can have a modern home in the mountains, or a victorian home in the Arizona desert.  

It is easier when your home matches the area.  But do what you love and create a home that is warm and welcoming. 

Paint is an easy way to change the look and feel in the home.  It's a great place to start when you're wanting to make some changes. 

Look for Inspiration

A great place to start is looking for inspiration.  That is easier than it used to be in fact we have way more information and inspiration at our finger tips than we will ever need.  

When I used to work on my home design I bought magazines, cut out pictures and taped them in a notebook to create mood boards.  It's still a fun way to create the vision you want.  

Now with social media and Pinterest it's so much easier to find inspiration.  When you look to social media set a time limit and be specific in your searching.  If you're randomly scrolling and see something you love save or screen shot it for later.  

Do moody dark colors resonate with you or are you loving light and bright?  Finding photos that resonate or inspire you will help you identify patterns and preferences. 

Start with a Main Color

When you begin with the main color of your interior or exterior walls it sets the tone for the rest of the scheme.  Consider factors like personal preference, architectural style and existing elements of your home.  

When I wanted to make a change to the base color in or home, going from gray to white it took a lot of trial and error.  There are so many whites.  Not all whites will work in your home.  My doors and baseboards were painted in Sherwin Williams Dover White.  It is a great color but bright white walls don't work with the Dover White.  

My original plan was to paint the walls in Dover White for a monochromatic look.  The first couple rooms worked well because they have a lot of natural light.  But when I painted it in a half bath with zero natural light it looked so yellow.  Which wasn't what I wanted.  That's when it got challenging.  

I tried so many colors, all the beautiful whites but they all made my trim and doors look more yellow then they are.  Thankfully the paint pro at Home Depot was able to give me amazing advice.  I went in to ask if there was a way to pull the yellow out of the Dover White without changing the base color. 

The paint pro gave me the idea to try the shade just up on the paint swatch.  It is a lighter white with less yellow but also works really well with the Dover White.  

Sherwin Williams Whitetail was the perfect color to get the look I was after.  I wasn't willing to paint my doors and trim.  Finding the base color was a HUGE step to transitioning my home.  

Take the time to find the main color, ask questions, buy samples, test them in a variety of spaces in your home then celebrate when you find the right one.  

Did you know you can buy paint color fan decks from all your favorite suppliers.  They are so nice to have on hand, saves you a lot of time so you don't have to run to the store.  Grab your fan deck here.

Grounding Color

Thankfully the accent / grounding colors went a little easier than finding the main base color.  

Black is a beautiful grounding color that I love.  Like white there are so many shades of blacks.  I've used black with my furniture and fireplace.  Creating a gorgeous flow to my home.  

You don't have to paint every piece black but having touches of black creates a beautiful space.

We even updated our office furniture with the same black that was used on the fireplace.  You can check out the office furniture update here.  

Accent Color 

The final color that I have painted in my home is a color I love and stumbled onto by accident.  When an IG influencer used it in their home they described it in a way that spoke to me.  I knew I would love it but purchased a sample just to be sure.  

Let me introduce you to Sherwin William Thunderous.  A gorgeous green with a cool grey undertone.  I was wanting a dark grey and have always love dark green.  Like all colors it looks a little different than in different areas of our home.  But I still love it and I am loving the dark accent color in our home. 

        

How to Choose a House Color Scheme