When decorators have a dilemma, they visit Mary Hopkins. As a
tinter for Kelley Moore Paints in Gilroy, her shrewd eye can match
any color, from the orange vein in a piece of marble to the pink of
a blooming rose.
When decorators have a dilemma, they visit Mary Hopkins. As a tinter for Kelley Moore Paints in Gilroy, her shrewd eye can match any color, from the orange vein in a piece of marble to the pink of a blooming rose.
But even Hopkins can’t decide which paint is best for every client, because paints can easily become quick-change artists given the right conditions. A mossy green may appear gray or blue or even lime if viewed in a certain light at a certain time of day, losing its more subtle effects to too many windows or the wrong kind of lighting.
“What I always suggest to people is if they have a color they like, take the swatches home,” said Hopkins. “Narrow the things you like down to one or two paints, and buy a quart of each in the colors you like. Then, paint a few squares of them on the wall and leave them for a couple of days.”
When attempting to narrow down your color palette, though, there are a few general guidelines to follow, said Mary Perkins, an interior design consultant for Murphy Springs Designs in Morgan Hill.
“What I tell my clients is, unless they’re really, really into color, to go a little more neutral,” said Perkins. “I’m not afraid of color on a wall, but you can always change pillows and accent stuff. You don’t want to be painting your walls every three years.”
Light colors may be best in small or poorly lit rooms, advised Perkins, because they tend to brighten and enlarge a room, while dark colors can ground a very sunny room.
Paints can also change the mood of a room, Perkins said.
“Paint is the cheapest thing you can do to your home, but it makes the biggest difference,” said Perkins. “There are colors – oranges, siennas, some yellows – that will give you a warm feeling. Blues tend to go more cold, so if you go with a nautical home it will feel more cool and beachy than an orange.”
Christine Allen, owner of Allen’s Colorfaux Designs, formerly Allen & Morris Faux Painting, in Morgan Hill echoed Hopkins’ advice, saying too many people try to pick a paint while in the store or copy the looks they see in specially lit model homes, she said.
But the reason most do-it-yourselfers run into trouble in their attempts to re-do a room is because they’re in a hurry, Allen said.
“They want to buy the paint and go, but it’s worth going, spending the $8 on a quart and painting a few squares,” said Allen. “If you’re painting a whole room, you’re talking about $200 to $500, which may not seem like a big deal. But after you’ve spent time or the painter’s spent time, and you’ve painted out 1,000 square feet the wrong color, it is a big deal.”
Instead of starting out with paint swatches, Allen encourages clients to drive around and look at homes or to talk with friends who’ve painted their homes in beautiful colors. Don’t be afraid to stop and ask what kind or even what color of paint a person has used, she said.
If you find yourself liking the same shade of blue every time, you may want to look in that color range for your own home, or consider colors with similar undertones, said Allen.
In the end, color choice is a matter of preference, said Hopkins, and if you mess up, you won’t be the first. Besides, you can always paint over it.
