I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately on the paint colors we used in our home, so I thought I’d share with you all today! I get it: picking a paint color can be difficult. When we moved into our house, we had to paint essentially EVERY single surface because we didn’t like any of the colors, and it all needed freshening up anyway. I love how much fresh paint can transform the look and feel of a room. Seriously, it is one of my favorite ways to make over a space. You should never be afraid to pull the trigger on a new paint look in your house!
I’ll share the colors we used in our home first, and then I’ll give you my tips on choosing paint colors for your own home!
I hope you’ll check out some of my other posts while you’re here, too!
See my DIY projects and inspiration [here]
Check out a home tour [here]
Check out some fashion posts [here]
Below is a pin-able image for you to save to Pinterest. That should make it easy to take into your local hardware store, if you like one of the colors we used! Just show them your phone and they’ll be able to copy the paint code and create an exact match.
My tips for choosing paint colors in your own home:
- Choose neutral colors for the majority of your home. That way, when you want to change up décor for different seasons, parties, etc., nothing will look “out of place” because it doesn’t match your walls! Neutral tones are also calming…and who doesn’t need more of that in their life?
- Figure out what your favorite type/brand of paint is and then go with it. Like I mentioned above, I find colors I like and take them into Home Depot. They’re able to make an exact match with the paint code provided. I like Behr paint + primer because I’ve found it covers the best. Home Depot matches my choice, no matter what the original brand is (Valspar, Lowe’s, etc.).
- Get a sample first! You can buy a sample color of the paint for around $5, and it’s so worth it, especially if you’re making a bold color choice or painting an entire room. Bring the sample home, put it on the wall and see how it looks in different lights – lighting can drastically change the way the color looks! The lighting in that Pinterest picture and at the hardware store are both going to be different than the lighting in your own home. Plus, lighting is different in your home at different times of the day and depends on your indoor lighting as well. Painting a small swatch on the wall beforehand will allow you to make sure you like the color in all lighting conditions.
- Speaking of paint samples…just a little tip I’ve learned: a sample can cover an ENTIRE door (one side). This is perfect for changing up the color of your front door! I painted ours red, Haute Couture by Behr to be specific, during Christmas time and all I needed was one small sample. Pretty awesome, right?
- Pick colors that feel cohesive when you look at them all together. So, for example, don’t go with a neutral in two rooms and neon green in another. They’re separate rooms, yes, but you want the house to feel like it all flows seamlessly.
And when you do choose the perfect color….
- Make sure the whole surface is dirt and dust free! If it’s not, the paint will not go on smoothly, dirt can be smeared, altering the color, etc.
- Wait for the first coat to dry before you do a second. I know…it’s SO hard to wait for paint to dry! But if you wait, the second coat goes on much smoother.
This really cute “Home sweet home” banner was sent to be by Porter Lane Home. (You may have seen the pillows from the same Etsy shop in my last post, Simple and Cozy Winter Entry)
Our walls are all “Accessible Beige” and the trim is “Dover White,” both by Sherwin Williams. I also used that same white color on our shiplapped wall, upper kitchen cabinets, and bookshelf. I love “Dover White” because it’s not a cold-feeling white…it’s got a little bit of a warmer undertone. Check out my shiplap tutorial [here].
That door color is amazing, right?! It’s “wrought iron” be Benjamin Moore. I want to paint everything with it but that might be a little excessive. ;)
I hope you enjoyed this “the paint colors we used in our home + my tips on picking colors for your own home” blog post!
Thank you for sharing !! And for all the great tips
Of course!! I hope you found it helpful!!
Beautiful! What color did you paint the ceiling?
Hi Jessica, thanks so much!! Our ceilings are dover white by Sherwin Williams!