Right Color for the Room

The mood of the room can be greatly influenced by the colour you paint. Painting is the cheapest way of redecorating. To make the right colour decisions you will need to consider the function of the space, the direction it faces, its size, lighting and the mood you want to create.

Function of Room

Hallways and entrances:
Choose bright, bold colours such as fiery red, lime green, bright yellow to catch attention since only glimpses of the space are captured as you move through.
Sitting rooms, study:
Cool tones of blue, grey and green are suitable for areas designed for peace and quiet as these colours project a calming feeling.
Living areas:
Choose a neutral palette to allow for decorative accessories/ornament or a bold coloured feature wall to be added on.
Bedroom:
Use colours such as textured paints to create moods. The space is usually limited so try to match complementary colours to make spaces look larger.

Mood of Room

Relaxed:
Neutral shades of taupe, brown, green, beige, lavender or lilac.
Bold and flamboyant:
Clean, saturated colours such as acid yellow, orange or hot pink.
Nostalgic:
Soft shades of grey, brown, black and white.
Stimulating:
Rosy pinks and peaches, yellows, aquas and greens.

Facing Direction of Room

The location of your room windows/doors can determine how much light, and therefore warmth, it receives. The direction of these light openings will hence influence the intensity of light coming in. Choose colours that complement the direction of the room.

South facing:
These rooms receive little natural light so have a tendency to be cold. Choose warm colours such as yellow, orange or red to help warm it up. Consider reflective whites to brighten the room.
West facing:
Afternoon sunshine will make these rooms hot. Cool the room down using subtle greens and blues.
North & East facing:
Natural light isn’t such an issue for these rooms. Consider other elements of the room when deciding on colour.

Shape of Room

Remember two basic rules: Light colours recede, making a room appear larger and dark colours advance to make a room feel smaller.

Small rooms:
Avoid deep, dark colours. Lighter, reflective colours will make the space feel larger. Paint the ceiling and skirtings a lighter colour than the walls.
Long and narrow rooms:
Paint the short walls a dark colour to make them advance, reducing the narrow feel.
High ceilings:
Use the picture rail to break the room up. Use a dark colour above the picture rail. This will bring the ceiling down and create a more intimate feel.

Types of lighting

Use lighting to complement your paint colour. Keep the following in mind:

* Fluorescents project a pale blue light.
* Iridescent light appears yellow.
* Halogen lighting is clear.

Consider the colours of the surrounding elements such as carpet, curtains, furniture and light as they will affect the paint decisions. Do not rush the decision. as you may change your mind because of the irrational mood initially. Get a sample pot and paint a 1mx1m board. Move it around the house to gauge how the colour works in different rooms. Refer to magazine s and pictures of rooms you like. Compile these on a board and you will see emerging schemes. Of course, the easiest is put the responsibility on colour consultants and interior designers for professional advice, though they come at a price.