Color is subjective.

Its beauty lies in the eye of its beholder.

When choosing a color for your space, rely on a few Tried and True Designer Tips.

Cool colors make a space appear larger.

Warm colors make a space appear smaller.

Consider exposure of room. North? South? East? West?

Each exposure has a different effect on color which will change how the color appears over different times of the same day and whether it is a sunny or rainy day.

Take out your color wheel.

Remember that complementary colors (those opposite on the color wheel) work well when you want to create a statement. Red and green. Orange and blue. Be sure to edit their use so they don’t visually overwhelm.

Analogous colors (those next to one another on the color wheel) create naturalistic, harmonious serene pairings. They also require contrast so as not to be boring. Black, white or gray works well.

Consider that Color has psychological components which enhance emotional impact.

Red is an appetite stimulant. It is a passionate color for bedrooms as it is emotionally intense.

Orange aids digestion and engages the brain. Great for children play areas and hallways. If it is too much for you, then use a pop of orange instead.

Yellow enhances concentration and speeds metabolism. Use sparingly in nurseries. Great for kitchens and home offices.

Green improves vision and alleviates anxiety. Great for libraries and bathrooms.

Blue is soothing and calming.  It suppresses appetite and stimulates thought. Obvious choice for bedrooms … and your kitchen if you are on a diet!

Pink is proven calming for children with ADHD. Try in bedrooms for a great night’s sleep.

Purple is dramatic, versatile and has a definite modern edge.

Cream is warmer than stark white and is Universal in its appeal and use.

Now let’s talk Budget.

If your budget is tight and you don’t plan on repainting your space within the next three years, pick a neutral palette for your largest surface: the Walls. Cast your walls as Supporting Actors in your overall design.

You can economically ‘change it up’ by seasonally introducing brilliantly colored pillows, slipcovers, lampshades, window treatments, area rugs, and ottomans.

Finally, test drive your color. Take it out for a spin. (color wheel pun!)

Designers know that the color which appears on a paint chip in a store is not necessarily the same ‘color’ when applied to the walls in your home. All the aforementioned factors play a role. So we take white poster board and hold it up to the wall. Then place our color sample on top of white poster board so we are looking at the color sample and NOT the wall behind it.

Then we live with it. Keep the white poster board with your color samples affixed on your wall for at least three days… making sure that you can view the boards during different times of the day. If you work full time and are only home at night, then do this over the weekend. You want to see how your color changes from morning to night and on sunny vs. cloudy days.

Don’t drive yourself crazy. Keep choices to three samples – max. Otherwise you will second guess yourself and not be able to make a decision.

By the end of the three days, you will know which color(s) you prefer.

Then invest in that can of paint and have fun!