If you have decided it is time to dress up your home with a fresh coat of paint, the only thing left to do is choose a color and contact your painting contractor. While that may sound easy, choosing the right color of paint often becomes more of a challenge than expected. Following a few guidelines will help you narrow down your options and choose a paint color you can live with.

Never rush the process

It is natural to feel excited about having your home painted. Excitement often leads to heading off to the paint store to purchase your paint to get the project started. This can lead to choosing the first color of paint that grabs your eye.

Giving yourself a few weeks to shop for paint will give you time to narrow down your options. Get as many samples as you can in the colors you find pleasing. Make sure you observe the paint colors in natural daylight and evening light to see how the color changes.

Refuse to settle for less

Never settle for less than a paint you love and that looks great in both bright daylight and soft evening light. If something does not feel right, go with your gut and try a different shade or color of paint until you find one you can imagine living with for the long term. Refusing to settle for anything less than a paint you love will prevent regrets later.

Consider the rest of the home

It is easy to get so caught up in finding the right paint that you overlook the rest of your home. For interior paint, will the colors in your furniture complement the paint you have chosen? For exterior paint, will the style of your home be a good fit for the color? 

Take advantage of online tools

Some paint stores online let you see how a shade of paint will look before you buy it. You take a photo of a room or your house, upload it to the computer, and click on the various colors you like to see which one looks best. These tools are fun to use and give you a real feel for how your home will look. 

There is nothing quite as discouraging as having your home painted and realizing the color is not such a great choice after all. Being stuck with a paint color that is difficult to live with is never fun. Fortunately, you can find a paint color by giving yourself plenty of time, not settling for anything less than what you want, and using online tools to help you see the finished look.

For help with your project, contact a painting service in your area such as Elevation Painting LLC.