Help, I Can't Choose a Paint Color!

by Linda
(Pennsylvania)

Dilemma:

I want to paint 1 long wall spanning my entire living area. This includes the living room and dining area. It's an open floor plan. It also includes a dormer.

I want something fun and comfortable at the same time. Thank you very much.

Critique:

Hi Linda and whoa! - that's one busy patchwork of colors you've got going on there!

Sorry to be the messenger of bad news, but your method of testing paint colors is a surefire way to get overwhelmed, stuck and frustrated.

That is also exactly how, after a lot of time spent testing and mulling over, people still end up with a wrong color for their space.


Here's the thing:

First, all colors are "chameleons" in a sense - they "change" appearance depending on what's next to them and what they are next to, and can really fool the eye.

For this reason, you never want to clump several colors together like that - because they will be affecting one another and you'll never be able to accurately tell what works and what doesn't from this test.

Second, it's also a bad idea to test the colors directly on the walls (see Why NOT to Paint Sample Colors On the Walls to learn why).

What you should do instead is test the colors on large sample boards. That way you'll be able to view and assess each color individually, without the distraction and influence of the adjoining colors.

You will also have the freedom to move the boards around the room, and see how each color looks in different lighting, at different times of the day, next to your furniture and trim, etc.

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Now as far as helping you zoom in on just one color... well, you didn't give me any information to go on!

Based on what I see in the photo and project description, virtually any of the colors you are testing can look "fun and comfortable".

In theory, they can all work. But in reality, it's your living/dining room decor that will determine which of the colors you should pick - and I don't see any decor here! No furniture, accessories or fabrics... nothing to help me help you.

So the best thing I can do for you right now is send you over to Choosing Interior Paint Colors From Decor - you will learn exactly how to get paint color ideas from your existing decor elements.

And don't worry, it's as easy as painting by numbers!