Choosing Colour

Colour charts are the most obvious place to start your research. Visit your local DIY store and collect those that appeal. Isolate the colour you are considering by bending back the card on either side or cover either side with paper or card to allow a clear view of your colour without influence from its neighbouring ones.

Tester pots are the most effective way to choose a colour. Relatively inexpensive at around £3 each, unlike colour charts they give a true insight of how a particular colour will look in your home.

When painting tester colours it is advisable to paint an area of wall at least 60cm sq and to do so on more than one wall to get a true idea of how the colour will work in the space. Always allow for the paint to dry fully before making a decision and take notice of how the colour reacts to different types of light at different times of day. If you don't want to paint the testers directly on to your walls then do so on similar sized pieces of lining paper and hang in different parts of your room to get the same effect.

Often a favourite painting or rug can inspire your colour choice. Dulux offer a colouring matching service which can produce perfectly matched shade for an additional cost, or there are many free smart phone apps that allow you to upload a photograph of your room and select and view the walls in a large range of colours so you can visualise your room in a particular shade without lifting a paint brush.
You might also want to consider colours in adjacent rooms, especially if you would like one room to flow naturally into the next.  You don't have to use the same colour to achieve this, instead you could simply vary the intensity of one hue. You can also select a complimentary colour scheme so the lines between rooms are slightly blurred and don't jar against one another.

If you lack confidence in choosing colour or prefer to keep it simple, you can play it safe with neutrals. Inject colour to a neutral scheme through the use of accessories and furniture.

Toptip: To create an illusion of space in a small room choose light cool shades like soft blues and greens. Warmer tones such with more intense hues such as oranges and reds can help to draw in a bigger room and create a cosy, intimate feel.

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