Lost in the Benjamin Moore Paint Chip Display?

I was in the paint store the other day, and had the pleasure of helping three homeowners lost in the color chip display.

There are so many color choices for paint that it can be overwhelming for the untrained eye to choose an appropriate color. It is amazing how those little chips of saturated color virtually explode on walls, and look totally different than what many people envision.

May I enlighten you to a few of the challenging dynamics of color:

Color changes. It is not absolute. No way. No how.

Consider color ... alive. Like a person, color is moody, and changes with its surroundings.

Like a person, color is fickle. Likes some things sometimes, and other times not.

And like a person, color has personality that touches our emotions, our minds, and our bodies.

Color is all about context. It is how you use it that matters.

Think about color combinations as people relationships.

Because color has many temperamental qualities, it is important to combine colors so there are no personality clashes! As every personal relationship differs, so do color relationships.

Some color combinations are love at first site, others are just okay. Some intrigue our senses. Others bore us. And some color combinations do not get along. At all! They scream and yell and fight.

Color is powerful. It will make or break your overall design.

Color is the ring leader of design. It has the power to create harmony and bring the all the elements of your decor and design together.

Choose your colors for your home, as you choose your closest friends. Carefully! The paint color throughout your home reflects upon you, in more ways than one.

So when you are choosing paint, remember the color on the little chips in the store will change when you put it on the wall. Chose colors with less saturation because chroma tends to brighten and explode visually as it gets larger.

Test the color in the actual space. The color will change depending on the surrounding elements such as flooring, lighting, furnishings, time of day, etc. I prefer test boards because you can move them, up and down, and all around the room.

Make sure all the colors in a space are pleasing and get along beautifully with each other, by comparing the wall color to each colorful element in the room as well as adjacent rooms.

Think overall theme, let the wall color tie the whole design together. The wall color is the main field. And along with the architecture, paint color defines the entire space.

Don't feel alone if you get lost in the paint chip display. Most people do! Call in the color professionals.

Color consultants like myself, are experts who understand the dynamics of color, and have the experience, skills, tools, and knowledge to help you create beautiful designed spaces.

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