The art of picking the perfect paint for your home can be a little tricky at times, but there is a method (or two) to the madness. First, we love grabbing paint samples or swatches and putting them up in the room for a day or two so we can observe the paint in all different kinds of light. Rooms with morning sun get cooler light than rooms with afternoon sun, so the same paint in two different rooms can look completely different — which is why we always suggest testing paint in your space first.
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Another great paint picking tip is one people have been using for years and years. Scouting paint in other people’s homes is a great way to find colors you love and see them in action. Maybe you love lime green, but when you see it splashed out across an entire wall you realize it’s not the right vibe for your home. Or maybe you’ve been contemplating painting your trim off white, and when you see it in someone else’s home, you know that it’s the right move for your home. We’ve asked about the wall paint in restaurants, stores, our friend’s homes, and even knocked on a door or two to ask about the exterior color of someone's home. More often than not, people are happy to tell you all about the paint they love.
Scouting Instagram and Pinterest is another great way to source popular paint, but a word of caution comes with this tip. Remember that most pictures you see online have been doctored or filtered to portray the room in the best way possible. That means that you’re not always going to see the true paint color through the pictures. We recommend buying a paint swatch or sample of the colors you like online before you commit to gallons and gallons.
Painting Behind Floating Shelves
Photo: Nicole Green | Shelves: Ultra Shelf White Oak Natural
The great thing about Ultra Shelf floating shelves is that updating the wall behind them is really simple. Removing your shelf from the bracket is really easy and it ensures that you don’t get any paint on the shelves. You can leave the bracket attached to the wall and paint around them, then let the paint dry and slide your floating shelves back onto the brackets. If you want to paint behind the brackets as well, you can carefully detach them, paint, and then reattach them in the same spot once the paint has dried.
Our Favorite Paint Colors
W is for White Paint
White paint is a staple in almost every home, and even if you’re not using it on every wall in every room, it’s good to have a go-to white paint.
We love this clean, crisp white in a big way. When we pick a base paint for an entire home in a new build, this is it. It pairs effortlessly with so many other colors and makes the perfect base for decor. This paint has cooler undertones, but we love it paired with both warm and cool tones. It makes smaller spaces feel big, so it’s a good choice for a little room that needs some more light.
Chantilly Lace is a great white because it has a little bit of warm beige to the undertones. We love this white in vintage-inspired rooms or homes with cooler elements that need a little warming up. It’s not an overpowering white, so if you want to keep the charm of your fixer-upper or flip, this is a good white to go with. We have this paint in a room with Maple Smoke floating shelves and the color combo is one of our favorites.
This paint is popular for good reason. It’s a great, creamy shade of white that works in homes and business spaces. We love this paint in a satin finish. It’s a really clean, crisp paint that we see popping up in more and more homes.
Dark paints are making a big comeback this year and we are here for it. Painting your room dark doesn’t make it feel smaller, contrary to popular belief. With the right application, dark paint makes a big impact in even a little space.
Interior and exterior, this paint is hands down our favorite dark gray paint. This gray makes a big statement. We love how well this gray also pairs with warm toned woods, like Alder, to create a really sophisticated space. If painting your whole exterior dark gray feels overwhelming, start with a single room.
Feeling blue? We’ve got you covered with this dark, chalky blue paint from Sherwin Williams. We love that blue because it’s calming, serene, and not too punchy. It’s a great paint to use when you’re ready to venture into dark colors, but aren’t ready to go fully navy or black in your space. We also happen to think that this blue was made for board and batten, but maybe that’s just us.
Essex Green by Benjamin Moore is a perfect, nature-inspired shade of green for anyone hoping to add a little depth to their walls. If going green all over seems too overwhelming, we also love this deep green in little pops throughout the home. Skip painting your walls and instead refinish a desk or dresser in this earthy green.
Painting is a really affordable way to refresh a room quickly, so what are you waiting for? Ready, set, let's paint!
