Many people would second guess themselves when it comes to choosing paint colors for your home, and that includes me. Most of the time, I would wonder whether a half tone darker or lighter would look better. Some would really have color choices that are from different color families, and ask themselves whether they’d like red, yellow, or blue. If you fall under the second type of person, you must do some more soul searching (lol).
Seriously though, we have gotten so many questions from homeowners about what color they should choose for their home. We can’t reply. Maybe your architect or interior designer who has asked you about how your lifestyle, your preferences, your hopes and dreams for your home, would be able to make suggestions. But we at Boysen can’t. And even if you have professionals guiding you, the ultimate choice of color would be yours.
But to help you come up with the color that appeals to you, here are some tips.
1. Ask yourself what colors you find attractive.
Ask yourself what colors appeal to you. When you buy clothes, or choose home accessories, what colors attract you? When you look at home interiors, what designs draw you in and why?
The world today offers so many ideas that it has become a luxury problem for many of us. I don’t know about you but years ago, I didn’t know the difference between lime and peridot, taupe and gray, beige and greige, apricot and peach, cerulean and teal… In fact, sometimes I feel that colors are born every minute with names that capture the imagination.
But don’t confuse yourself this way. The trick is to look inward. When you more or less have a color in mind, then that’s the time to explore the different tints and shades of that color by going to the deep and wide world of internet.
2. Make friends with the Boysen App
Download the Boysen App. It can be your painting partner from the time you choose the paint colors up to deciding what Boysen product to use.
Can’t Decide? These Boysen App Tools Make It Easier to Pick a Paint Color
Click on the post to know more about the features of the app—Color Collection, Visualizer. Color Capture, Color Mixing, Product Recommendation (with the painting schedule and technical data). The app can also help you calculate how much paint you would need for the space you want to paint.
You can download the free app via the App Store for iOS users and the Play Store for Android users.
3. Make a list of your color choices.
Make a list of your paint color choices and get the paint names and codes. It is best to check the color swatches of the digital ones you chose from the Boysen app before buying the paint samples. Ask to see the fan decks at the Boysen Mix and Match Station you visit. To find out more about the Boysen fan decks, click this link.
Bear in mind that physical fan decks and swatches are often more reliable when it comes to actual color representation compared to the digital swatches you will find in the Boysen app or the Boysen Color Trend website. The technical specifications of the gadget you are using to see the colors affect color perception.
4. Get sample pots of your chosen Boysen paint colors.
For testing, your best bet would be to get 200 mL pots of the colors you are considering. There are 2 ways to get these sample pots:
- Visit The Color Library near IKEA at MOA Square Level 2, SM Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. Operating hours are 11 AM to 9 PM daily.
- Purchase sample pots through the Boysen website in the Buy Online section.
5. Paint the color samples on your walls.
Prepare your wall by sanding your test area lightly then wiping it with a clean rag. Paint your color samples at eye level, side by side with at least a foot in between colors. Your painted samples should also be at least about 1-foot by 1-foot in size. Do the same thing on another wall, either an adjacent or an opposite wall, as long as it is a wall that gets less light. Coat the sample areas at least two times.
Make sure that when you’re testing your colors, you already have installed the artificial lights that you want for that room. It is important to see the colors at different times of the day so you will see the effect of natural and artificial lights on the colors.
If you like saturated colors, use the accompanying primer that Boysen recommends to see the full effect of the colors.
Just to show you as examples: There are two paint colors in the Alchemy color palette above that require primers. One is the yellow-tinted primer Boysen Permacoat Flat CP60 for the paint color Solar Essence. The other is the red-tinted primer Boysen Permacoat Flat CP70 for Love Potion.
6. Check the sample colors.
Live with the sample colors for a few days. Look at them daily during different times of the day.
Colors do not exist in a vacuum. They are influenced by the colors found in the room. For example, you may find it helpful to separate the colors with a white piece of paper in between them. Also, you have to see how the colors would relate to your furniture, floor, and other home accessories. As I’ve said earlier, you also have to see how natural and artificial lights affect the colors. It is very important to check the colors during those times that you expect to be in the room the longest.
Ready to start your color sampling after reading this guide? Get those 200 mL paint pots and enjoy choosing the winning color for your home. Remember—the right color is no one else’s choice but yours!
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