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You are here > Home > How to Guides > Tips on Colour Selection
Tips on Colour Selection
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Part of the fun of painting a room is selecting just the right color of paint. But with so many colors to choose from, where do you start? Ultimately, colour choice comes down to personal taste but here are a few considerations to keep in mind...
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Inspiration
Collect swatches of fabric and cut out pictures from magazines that appeal to you. Start a `design board` and if possible, attach all your collected pieces to this so that you can compare colours and textures when they sit next to each other. Perhaps you have a painting that you`re adamant on hanging on the wall or a piece of furniture that will serve as your starting point. If so, collect swatches and pictures that would suit that particular item of furniture.
Visit the Paint Department at your local store and pick out paint colour cards that match with your collection of ideas. After selecting several color cards that appeal to you, take them home so you can observe the colors where you plan to use them.
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The Colour Wheel
The Colour Wheel is a traditional way of displaying colours and it is a useful tool to describe the relationships between colours. The wheel is laid out so that Primary colours (red, yellow, blue) are separated by the Secondary colours (orange, violet, and green).
Primary Colours are the fundamental, `true` colours and they cannot be mixed from other elements. The secondary colours on the other hand, are created when you mix two primary colours together. You will notice that each secondary color on the colour wheel is bounded by two primaries. These are the components that one would mix to get that secondary colour. (Eg. You mix red and yellow together to get orange.)
Colour `complements` are situated on opposite sides of the colour wheel. These colors contrast each other in the most extreme way possible. They also help to make each other more active. (eg. Green and Red). All colours travel in waves within light. Color Complements have drastically different wavelengths which are difficult for our eyes to focus on and consequently, causes some perception problems for a viewer if they are placed too close to each other. As a result, complementary colours should be used with particular care in a room. If two complementary colours such as blue and orange are given equal weight in a decorative scheme, the human eye will not be able to focus on them simultaneously and the result will be an unpleasant flickering sensation.
Whatever colours are chosen in a decorative scheme, the ultimate aim is to achieve whiat is known as a `settled effect`. If this is not done, the room will be psychologically uncomfortable to spend time in.
When using complementary colours, one colour must be allowed to dominate fully and its partner should only be used to `spike up` the scheme in a small way. (Eg. As cushions on the couch.) In most successful colour schemes, one colour is dominant, one is subordinate, and one is for accent or trim.
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Qualities of Colour
Nature conditions us to expect ....
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The darkest value at our feet |
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The medium value at eye level |
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The lightest value above us |
Generally...
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Red, orange and yellow are considered `warm` colours and generally temperatures are perceived as higher amongst these colours. |
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Blue, green and violet are considered `cool` colours and generally temperatures are perceived as lower amongst these colours. |
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Cool colours can make a space appear larger and lighter in weight |
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Warm colours can make a space appear smaller (and sometimes smaller is desirable) and heavier in weight |
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Time seems to pass more quickly in warm spaces |
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Time seems to pass more slowly in cool spaces |
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Complementary/contrasting colours contract space |
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Similar colours expand space |
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White, grey or colourless spaces are poor choices where people are to gather and interact |
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Please refer to the article Colour Psychology for more discussion on these points.
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White Paint
Exercise extreme care in using white for highly illuminated spaces as it can create glare and cause headaches. White or beige will take also on the tint of adjacent colour. Eg. If it`s adjacent to a red wall, a white wall can look pink. If you have white walls, then use texture, paintings, ornaments and furniture to add interest and variety to the room.
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Test on the Wall
Colour is a chameleon, it...
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Looks different under different lighting conditions |
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Changes depending on adjacent colour |
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Reflects onto adjacent colour |
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White or beige will take also on the tint of adjacent colour |
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Differing adjacent colours will appear more intense |
For these reasons, we recommend that you tape the paint colour chips to the surfaces you plan to paint to see how the paint will look on different walls. In addition to that, assess paint colors at various times of the day - in both natural and artificial light.
Dulux has sample test pots of paint available (each sample pot covers approximately 2 square metres) that are particularly useful. Paint a sheet of white card with your paint sample and hold this up against the wall. Remember that colors tend to intensify when applied to a large area. To compensate for this, experienced painters know that it is wise to err on the side of a lighter color value, rather than a darker one.
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Colour Visualisation Tools
Dulux Mycolour is a software programme designed to help you visualise colour. Basically, you pick a room from a range of possible images. Then click on the colour palette to chose your colour and use your mouse to select areas of the room to `paint` with this colour.
Access the Mycolour tool here.
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Consider Hiring a Colour Consultant
Dulux can arrange to send a colour consultant to your home. Every Dulux Colour Consultant is a colour professional with experience and training that will help you achieve the results you want. They will make an appointment to visit your home, where they will assess your current decor and discuss the look you want to achieve. This service is also ideally suited when developing colour schemes for commercial buildings, offices, shops, etc. Your personalised interior and/or exterior Colour Scheme will be designed for your home at the time of the visit and presented to you together with the appropriate colour cards etc.
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Limitation of Liability
This project has been produced to provide basic information and our experienced staff are available either in-store, or via phone or email, to answer any questions you may have. As this information is generalised Mitre 10 is not responsible for the application of the principles in any particular case, as the contents of this project may need to be modified for the particular site and circumstances. Consumers should always ensure that they comply with any local body bylaws that pertain to any construction project and consult a qualified tradesperson where expert services are required. |
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