Choosing Paint Colours for a Room or Office
A shade name alone is not enough when choosing paint colours. Consider the lighting, furniture, wall surface, coating sheen and users’ preferences together. No single colour is the best choice for every bedroom or workplace.
Start with the room’s purpose
Decide whether the space is for rest, work, study or entertaining. Shortlist a few schemes that suit the flooring, curtains and permanent furnishings. You can use a main shade with a smaller amount of accent colour; the balance depends on the space and design.
Check colours in the actual lighting
View samples at different times of day and under the lamps you will use. A wall beside a window and a less well-lit wall may show the same shade differently. Internet photographs and screens do not replace a physical sample.
Crown Paints’ sample guidance likewise recommends trying colours in the room and under different lighting.
Hue, lightness and saturation
- Hue: the colour family, such as blue or green.
- Lightness: how light or dark a colour appears.
- Saturation: the intensity of the colour compared with a neutral or grey appearance.
Lightness and saturation are different properties. Compare samples from the same colour family at different lightness and saturation levels. People also respond differently to warm and cool colours; selecting them does not guarantee concentration or productivity.
Select the coating separately
Alongside the shade, assess suitability for the substrate, traffic, cleaning needs and intended finish. Sheen can change the appearance of a colour. Check the chosen product’s data sheet for cleaning performance and application instructions.
Checklist before painting
- Shortlist a few colours that work with permanent furnishings.
- View a physical dry sample in daylight and evening lighting.
- Record the product, shade code, sheen and required quantity.
- Confirm suitability for the surface and application conditions before the final purchase.
For advice about obtaining a sample and the availability of your selected product, contact Armani Fam.
