Paint Color Mistakes: Don’t Make These 7 Common Blunders

Agreed, picking paint colours for your home interiors is no walk in the park. It’s, in fact, a boggling world of various shades, hues and tints. However, your choice of wall paint colours still boils down to a personal preference. What doesn’t and what you should pay attention to though is to avoid making the most common paint color mistakes that all of us are likely to at this stage. There are some things the paint stores won’t tell you, and some things that just slip your mind.

So, here they are. The top 7 mistakes you should avoid making when painting or repainting your home.

Mistake #1: Choosing Your Wall Paint Colours First

It’s always a wise decision to look at the decor of the room you want to paint for colour inspiration. For instance, your indigo-coloured rug may not pair well with the shade of green you were to planning to use on the walls. Or maybe your mustard sofa will actually look great against a grey wall? Finding a colour to match your room decor is far easier and cheaper than finding fabrics, furniture and furnishing to match your wall colours.

Also read: 15+ popular and trusted wall paint colours for Indian homes

Mistake #2: Not Deciding the Mood of the Room

Every room has a mood. Or a mood you want to particularly create for it. For instance, if you want a relaxing environment in your master bedroom, it makes sense to go for calming colours like blues, lavender and cool greys. Browns and reds won’t be your best bet. Forgetting the mood you want the room to signify and going with a colour just because it’s your current favourite can spell disaster.

Also read: 6 bedroom wall paint colours that surprisingly work well in Indian homes

Mistake #3: Creating an All-Bright or a Very Neutral Room

It’s simple: If you’ve opted for a bold, bright wall, let the rest of the room be cloaked in lighter, more neutral colours to balance the mood, and to let the wall take the limelight. Similarly, if you’ve chosen a more muted colour for a wall in your room, it makes sense to brighten up the environment with accents in stronger, contrasting colours. Ultimately, you want the room to have an effortlessly put-together vibe.

Mistake #4: Paying No Attention to Natural Light

Natural light is a key player in the overall look of your room — whether painted or not. If your room gets enough natural light, it’s easier to have a wider variety of colours to pick from. But if not, then you really have to consider the fact that the room would look closed in and, hence, you need to pick a lighter colour that doesn’t look too dramatic and that helps open up the room a little.

Mistake #5: Being Too Hard on Yourself to Pick a Perfect Colour

We get it. A painting job is an expense and you want to make every rupee count. So, take your time to decide on a colour or shade. When you do figure it out, start with one room at a time, and not the complete house, so that your wallet doesn’t feel the pinch in one go. And if you’re not fancying the colour too much after it’s been painted on your walls, just relax. See if the colour grows on you in a couple of months, or make a few changes to your curtains or rugs. If nothing works, repaint the walls. It’s not the end of the world.

Mistake #6: Not Testing the Colours at Home

The colours that look good in the store may not look as great in your home. So, when you have a couple of shades in mind, get samples from the paint store or ask your painter to fetch you some. Then paint a few, small sections on the desired wall and see how they look to you. Take a few days to get a real sense of the colour. But always test colours at home!

Need help? These 6 unique paint colours are great for your bedroom walls.

Mistake #7: Ignoring the Importance of Paint Finishes

Matte and flat paints are water-based and can come off easily when touched too often. So they’re apt for the ceilings and walls that are unlikely to be touched. Though better, an eggshell finish may still show off marks. Hence, it’s great for areas like the living room and the dining room, where not too many people are likely to touch the walls. Satin finish can hold up to cleaning and light scrubbing. Hence, it can be used for high traffic areas like your kitchen, bathrooms, halls and bedrooms. Gloss is best used for decorative corners like mouldings, trims, doors and cabinets. Ignoring the properties for each can work against you.

Avoid these 7 mistakes and you’ll find the whole experience of getting your home painted a less stressful one.

Additionally, if you want all those seemingly difficult concepts simplified, take a look at our Beginner’s Guide to Wall Painting.