Breakin' the Rules Painting: Choosing Paint Colors

Pin It

Let's face it, choosing paint colors can be super intimidating when it comes to redecorating a room. There are lots of instructions out there and rules to follow. Heck now the paint companies even put together coordinating color groups for you. Takes all the fun out of it!

This is my looong, dark upstairs hallway.
Notice the dark door trim and baseboards.
Definitely time for the dungeon to go away!

Well you know I am not a rebel but heck I never was one to like a lot of rules either. My motto? If I like how it looks and the 'feel' is right, then go with it. That goes for paint colors too. 

My original plan for my upstairs hallway was for the
grey to be on the walls and the lighter color
to be on the ceiling. Just did not feel right to me. Why?
Because the grey was looking very blue when it was on the walls.

The rules that I break? 
1. I don't buy a sample to try on the wall. Shoot I don't even think that really works. You can't get a real idea of how the color is going to look by painting a little of it on a board or on the wall and looking at it for several days.
2. Don't be afraid to change the color yourself. If you get a color that is not quite right whether because of your choice or because the paint store goofed, fix it yourself by adding more white or black or whatever.

So I switched it up and put the grey on the ceiling.
Can you believe that grey on the ceiling is the same color
as in the other picture?

3. Don't be afraid of dark colors. I don't believe that they make a room look smaller but it does however, change the feel of a room and make it cozier and more intimate.
4. If you have to, change your game plan. Oftentimes I have redecorated in my mind and know exactly what I plan to do in a room. But when the rubber meets the road, things oftentimes don't work out how I've planned. It pays to be flexible even with painting.

Nook area at top of stairs.
Moved sofa table from another room
and am still working on the photo collages.

In the end, trust your instincts and know that your room will look worse before it looks better. Crazy I know! Remember too that oftentimes it is more than the paint but it is the accessories that really tie everything together and make it cohesive.

Linking up this week to:
A Stroll Thru Life/Inspire Me Tuesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia/Tuesday's Treasures
Savvy Southern Style/WUW