DIY Network

Choosing Wall Color From "Ask DIY" episode ADI-406

Q: How do you read a color wheel?

A: (from Nancy Golden, Ask DIY Decorating and Design expert) The colors on one side of the wheel are cool, blue-based hues (figure A); the ones on the other side are warm, yellow-based colors (figure B). They shade progressively around the wheel.

Figure A

Figure B

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	See how different this room looks ...
	... with lighter walls.
	Chocolate-brown walls can add drama to a room that receives little natural light.
	Figure C
	Figure D

Any color's opposite on the wheel is its complimentary color. If you wish, you can use complimentary colors in your design scheme, but these highly contrasting colors work best a child's bedroom or powder room.

Colors located next to each other are related colors. They give a monochromatic look, which can be dramatic -- but which can also, unfortunately, be boring. If you plan on using a monochromatic color scheme, be sure to use lots of texture to make up for the lack of color variety.

Q: Which do you choose first, the furniture and accessories or the wall color?

A: I prefer to choose the furniture and accessories --particularly the fabrics -- first. That way I can take any color from the fabric and use it on the walls. It's a simple matter to take a swatch to the paint store and have any color matched.

Q: I have a room that doesn't get much natural light. Does that mean I should choose a lighter wall color?

A: Not necessarily -- it depends on your application. If you want the room to feel brighter, then by all means use a lighter color. But be aware that a dark, rich color may also work, especially if you want to add drama, warmth and elegance.

Q: What's the best way to test a wall color before painting the entire wall?

A: There's no way to do it without spending a little money -- those little color chips you can get at the paint store are entirely too small to be of nay help. My suggestion is to buy a quart of the color and paint a swatch on a wall and look at it during different times of day. That way you can see how it looks in different types and degrees of light. You can paint fairly large squares on the wall where they'll be hidden under a picture (figure C).

Q: What color should my ceilings be?

A: White is the safe choice: it's bright, and it makes the ceiling look higher. But you don't have to stick with white -- what about a sky-blue ceiling (figure D)? If you do opt to stick with white, though, here's a tip I find very helpful: Add a few drops of your wall color to the can of ceiling paint. This tints the white just enough to make for a good transition.

RESOURCES :
Painting Skills
ISBN: 1842154109
Author: Mike Lawrence
Order this title from Amazon.com.

The Perfect Palette: Fifty Inspired Color Plans for Painting Every Room in Your Home
Model: 0446675199
Author: Bonnie Rosser Krims
(April 1999)

Little Brown and Company (Time Warner, Inc.)
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-522-8700