The Power of Paint and Color: DIY

Imagine for a moment that you are standing in the paint department of your local home improvement store with paint chips and fabric swatches in hand. While contemplating the overwhelming color selection of eco-paint color choices, you start asking yourself “Do I want the room to feel soothing, energized, sexy, dramatic, calming, appetizing, healing, nature inspired, neutral  or just plain white?”

According to a very reputable source (the guy behind the counter at my paint store), DIY interior painting is a cinch, but selecting a paint color can be mind-numbingly difficult. He says, “People get dizzy looking at all the color choices.”

Why do it yourself?
• It’s cheap.
• It’s easy to do.
• It’s easy to green.
• It’s a mood elevator.
• It’s satisfying to do it yourself.
• It’s a quick decorating solution.

What is the power of color?
Think of paint as color therapy for your home. Paint is the key element that can be used to revitalize a room. The color you choose can have therapeutic effects. The psychology behind choosing a paint color is well documented here in this Care2 article. Color impacts mood, appetite and energy level. Certain colors elicit specific and strong responses.

How to choose a color scheme?
The Paint Quality Institute  suggests you choose a “warm or cool” color scheme to enhance the mood of your home.

Which are warm colors?
Colors in the red, orange and yellow families are referred to as “warm” colors since they evoke images associated with heat, like fire or sunshine. As a result they make us feel warm in a psychological sense.

Which are cool colors?
Blues, greens, violets and their intermediates are considered cool colors because of their references to pastoral landscapes and ocean vistas. When we look at these colors they elicit feelings of peace, tranquility and relaxation.

What’s new about the color green for interiors?
Green may just become the newest “neutral” color. It’s used as a subtle backdrop to reflect an enhanced eco-consciousness and green represents the growing environmental movement. Mid-tone hues of fern, palm, pine and sage on their own, or coupled with clear blue or aqua create a living space that conjures up a sense of outdoor-friendly living. Sandy tans and warm browns are intermingled to complete that earthy and eco-friendly feel.

I am inspired by nature. How can I capture my love of nature in paint colors?

Got an iPhone? Get a free color app. Just snap a picture and you can instantly match it to one of the more than 3,300 hues in the color system app. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams  provide coordinating color palettes for your inspiration. If you don’t have an iPhone, you can take a cue from these apps and bring a photo with you when you choose colors.

Which are good Eco-Friendly paints?
Eco-Friendly paints  come in every color of the rainbow. Here’s an article from Dwell magazine  that reviews and compares some eco-friendly paints. We recently used Benjamin Moore’s Natura  and got great coverage. Also, I can’t say enough good things about the product American Clay  for your walls. Read about it here.

How much paint should I buy?
Here’s a handy paint calculator  to help you determine how much paint you’ll need to cover your space. With DIY projects like painting a room, you’ll want to get it right the first time. Most paint companies provide coverage estimates on the paint can label.

Need more inspiration?
Check out this New York Times article, Casa de los Colores  for some fun and extreme home color combos.

As for so many DIY projects for your home, know your color choices and “Measure twice, Paint once.”