How to choose a color palette for painting the walls and the colors of different rooms
A dwelling is not just a space where a person spends a significant part of his time, but a place with a harmonious and comfortable atmosphere. In order for the owner to feel relaxed and comfortable in the house, it is important when designing the interior to choose not only the right furniture, but also the colors of the interior walls. A correctly selected palette has a positive effect on the psycho-emotional state, visually changes the space and complements the style.
Varieties of color palette
When choosing paint for interior walls, consider three design techniques:
- combine closely spaced shades in the color wheel (for example, dark blue and azure);
- contrast of two shades;
- a combination of shades of the same color, of different intensity (for example, turquoise and cyan).
Dark colors are chosen to visually reduce the room, hide surface defects. If the windows face north, then it is advisable to choose light paint, if south - glossy paint. A smooth painted wall looks lighter than a rough wall painted in the same color.Matte surfaces appear warmer than similarly painted glossy surfaces.
Cold
Cooler hues are mostly formed of blues and greens. They are optimal for spacious rooms with south-facing windows. The smaller the room, the lighter the cold tone should be. Having chosen a cold shade, the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to get the feeling of hospital bureaucracy. The color should be only an unobtrusive tone for furniture, interesting decor and pleasant to the eye.
Hot
Warm tones are mainly formed from red, yellow, brown. They make the room more comfortable, but they are not suitable for a small room, they visually reduce it. A warm palette is the best option for poorly lit northern rooms. When choosing a color combination for the walls, take into account that the main warm colors, in addition to orange, give both warm and cold shades. For example, instead of red paint, you can take scarlet, pink, cherry, brick, burgundy.
Bright
You need to work carefully with bright colors, you can not cover significant parts of the walls with them, otherwise you will get the interior "gouging your eyes out". An intensive palette is chosen to emphasize the individual elements of the interior. For example, bright patterns on the wall in a calm color look stylish.
When creating an original modern style, the contrast of adjacent walls is used, this option is optimal for spacious rooms. If you want to reduce, make the space more comfortable, red, orange, yellow tones will do.
Calme
To create a soft and soothing interior, mainly cold tones are used, and not necessarily pale tones. Deep, but not flashy are also suitable: blue, purple, green.Of the light shades, gray, blue and silver are most applicable. Deep colors should be chosen by a person who wants to emphasize high status, while light colors create an atmosphere of peace and comfort.
Among calm and warm tones, shades of brown are most applicable. One wall, painted in a shade of dark brown, creates an accent, the rest of the light walls contrast with it. Against this background, the decor looks good with minor gold and bronze inserts.
The relationship between color and style
When choosing a paint, the style of decoration of the room is taken into account:
- for a minimalist style, calm cool tones (white, gray, sea foam) are ideal;
- contrasting red and black shades prevail in oriental interiors;
- the classic style loves soft, soothing tones;
- in pop art and high-tech rooms, saturated and contrasting colors are in order;
- for the baroque, you have to choose 2-3 shades associated with luxury and aristocracy (red, natural brown, golden, vegetal);
- the antique style is associated with the sea, the Greek coast, beige, olive, white, calm sea tones, complemented by frescoes and plaster inserts, are suitable.
Shades of white (beige, cream, almond, milk, ivory) are the most popular and versatile. They visually expand the room, have a calming effect on the psyche. To give the interior lightness and airiness, dilute the bright color of the furniture, use pastels: lemon, sky, pink, light mint, sun-yellow.
Dark shades, contrary to popular belief, do not depress the psyche, they look elegant and elegant, if the proportions are observed, the furniture is correctly selected.Dark walls give the room depth and expressiveness, ideally combined with antique furniture. In modern interiors, the combination of black walls and light furniture has already become a classic.
Blue color calms the psyche, creates a serene and relaxing atmosphere. But it is important to correctly select the proportion and the combination with other shades so that a melancholy mood does not arise.
To create a romantic atmosphere, low-intensity lavender, clove, lemon colors are optimal. Lilac, violet, purple, lilac, plum - creative colors have a positive effect on brain performance. Sage and cornflower blue make the kitchen cozy. Green shades relieve stress, help you concentrate at work.
Brown is the color of status, wealth, conservatism, the best option for an interior in a classic style. Reddish-brown hues indicate wealth and high style. Red is the color of energy, of hectic and busy life, of the desire to attract attention. Shades of yellow create a cheerful and carefree atmosphere, maintain a positive attitude of the inhabitants of the house.
Subtleties of color matching for painting
It is difficult for an uninformed person to choose an ideal wall paint for the interior. It often happens that the chosen color scheme, which looked optimal in the store, looks completely different on the wall.
Here are some guidelines for choosing paint for interior walls:
- It's easier to choose when there are few options, the eyes don't scatter. In the store, ask a consultant for a limited, non-exhaustive shade catalog that includes the most popular colors.
- Choose paint from a paper catalog, not through a computer.The monitor distorts the colors.
- It is advisable to prepare a layout of the room in advance. Buy paintings, guided by them, so as not to suffer, studying the store catalog.
- If a complete renovation of the premises is planned, it is better to buy furniture first, and match it with a color for the walls.
- Whether the wall is planned light or dark, take a rich and well-pigmented paint. It gives depth to the room, looks harmonious in any light.
- If you like a particular color in a store, don't buy it right away. Ask the seller for a sample of the dye composition to check how it will lay on the wall under a certain light.
- To check, apply the color swatch to a free surface away from furniture and other distractions.
- If it is not possible to test a sample, purchase a lighter colored version. On a wall in the light, the paint usually looks shinier than in a pot.
- Focus not only on the advice of designers, but also on your feelings. The color of the walls should be comfortable for the inhabitants of the house.
- Choose saturated colors carefully. Try to imagine what a room will look like with walls of this shade, if it will be comfortable there.
- Do not forget that rough patterned walls, treated with textured plaster, visually look darker.
- Paint according to the instructions. The final color of the wall is influenced by the correct preparation of the surface, the quality of the paint, the optimum temperature and humidity.
Practical tips for different rooms
When choosing paint for the walls, the decoration and style of the interior come first.The purpose of the room is often forgotten, although it is an equally important factor in choosing the color of the walls.
Corridor
Entering the hallway, guests form the first impression of hosts, so the color of the walls should be pleasant and inviting. Cherry, woody and copper tones diluted with light undertones are suitable. If bright colors are chosen, they should be diluted with white and beige details.
Living room
Since the living room is a practical and at the same time comfortable room, flashy shades and multiple contrasting combinations are unacceptable. A soothing, neutral palette is optimal.
Light shades of brown, light green color will do. Loft and Art Nouveau living rooms add gray color. If the eco-style is chosen, then you cannot do without a plant-based color palette. For a spacious living room, apricot yellow and warm colors are acceptable.
Bedroom
The color of the walls should be soft, soothing and relaxing. Midtones, pastels, and muted shades are best, but not too bright. White is categorically contraindicated, he will make the room look like a hospital room. The best options are lilac, smoky gray, lilac, cream, ash, sky blue.
Food
For the kitchen, you can use any color palette, create bright and original combinations. However, you should not use more than three shades or you will get a bad taste.
The classic options are white, woody, natural tones, eco-style or country decoration. Light walls look great - lemon, orange, warm yellow. If gray is chosen for the walls, the emphasis is on light furniture. The more intense the color of the kitchen furniture, the more patterns, the more restrained the color of the walls should be.
Children
Contrary to popular belief, the children's room cannot be lit, shouting, as this negatively affects the child's psyche. Soft restrained tones should prevail. Only individual details can be brilliant.
It is advisable to choose two tones, you can combine warm and cold. Pink for girls, blue for boys has long been a standard. Better to focus on the preferences of the child. The most demanded are light green, heavenly, coffee shades.
Bathroom
Monochromatic and contrasting combinations are allowed here. In addition, you can combine several basic colors, the main thing is that the plumbing does not get lost on a light background.
Classic - an all-white bathroom associated with cleanliness and freshness. But many will find this option boring, so instead of white it is better to use light colors: vanilla, beige, cream. An excellent option is to dilute them with gray or black inserts.
Woody shades are ideal for any style of bathroom. Blue tones are ideal, the main thing is that they should be light, not saturated, otherwise you will have the impression of a bathroom in an old inn.
To study
The smaller the cabinet, the lighter the paint should be. If the windows face south, it is worth choosing a cold or neutral shade. If the office is dark, cool, light and warm colors are preferable.
The optimal color for the office is classic brown, soothing, helping to focus, associated with wealth and authority.Gray is also suitable for a minimalist interior, beige to create a sense of peace and stability, blue for a corporate atmosphere and soothes the nervous system, purple for creative workers.
You cannot decorate the office with red colors. Red is aggressive, makes a person nervous and irritable, pink is the color of romantics and dreamers, it interferes with concentration.
Good and bad examples
Good designers paint the walls to create a luxurious interior, thereby saving the customer's money. And the bad ones disfigure the room, make it uncomfortable for life.
The table lists the most common mistakes when painting walls:
| bad deeds | Correct actions |
| abuse of white, making places lifeless | combination of white walls with colored furniture and accessories |
| excessive use of beige, making the room look dull, like a hotel room | add rich accents - blue, red, yellow |
| using a pure white shade that refreshes the room | using warm variations of white - milk, cream, ivory |
| the use of monochrome shades that deprive the room of depth and volume | combination of halftones of the main color and contrasting accents |
| distribution of the three selected colors in equal proportions, which makes the interior variegated | ratio 60:30:10 |
| using contrasting furniture that looks like a ridiculous stain under the walls | the use of several contrasting pieces of furniture and decorative elements |
| using pure colors in contrasts is tiring for the sight | lighten or darken one of the colors |
| the use of pastel colors in the northern regions - the walls will look faded | use in areas with mostly cloudy weather, warm and rich colors |
| combination of warm and cold shades of the same color | a combination of contrasting or neutral colors |
| abuse of pure color, which makes the interior unbearable to view | neutralization of pure color with white, gray or black |
| bright coloring of a large wall - it will tire the eyes | choice for a large wall in a soft muted color |
The choice of paints and stylistic solutions for decorating living rooms is huge. Properly selected wall paint makes the room comfortable to live in and complements the chosen style.