Freshly-painted white picket fences always conjure up a mental image of a Huck Finn character working on a warm summer day with paint pail in hand. This time of year as I travel to different funeral homes throughout the country, it’s not unusual to see a funeral director up on a ladder doing touch-ups or directing a painting crew. A new coat of paint always makes us feel good. Paint, while sometimes tricky to select, can be an inexpensive but dramatic way to make a big change.

  Ask any interior decorator, “What’s the most difficult part of a design project?” and the answer is usually “PAINT!” So, how do you choose a paint color?

  First, paint should be chosen last. The reason is easy to understand – paint can be mixed to match any color but textiles are only available in limited color palettes. (More on that in a future column.) Reflective colors and color perception should affect your choice.

  How we perceive color is inextricably dependent on the lighting. LED’s, florescent, direct and indirect lighting change a color due to their light waves. It is always surprising that a fabric which looks brick red in my office comes closer to a burgundy in a customer’s florescent-lit room. Or, a golden oak sideboard in a windowless room may look old and dull but in a bright entry, looks inviting. Lighting is the difference.

  There is a bit of science to it. Reflective color makes a huge difference in how color is perceived. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity works here. Colors are relative based on what they are near. A navy blue sofa can exhibit a purple or reddish hue based on a painting placed above it that contains (and “pulls out”) similar colors. So, it’s possible to “trick the eye” into thinking that colors match, when if they were put side by side, they don’t.

  After paint samples have been chosen, tape paint chips to the walls. Paint colors should be viewed vertically. The next step – paint a piece of white poster board with 2 or 3 favorites using appropriate sheen and hang in the room. Check throughout the day to see how the color changes in different light. Examine the paint color next to the carpeting, drapery and in view of other rooms to be sure all coordinates well. This process may take a day or two.

  Another important factor – sheen affects color depth. The more sheen, the lighter the color will appear. Suggestions for use:

•     Matte/Flat – Provides great depth of color and is ideal for less-than-perfect surfaces. Typically used for ceilings and low traffic areas.  

•     Eggshell/Satin – Reveals color with a softly polished glow on an easy-to-clean surface. Great for high-traffic areas. Great for colored ceilings to help reflect light onto the color.

•     Semi – Durable and stands up well to repeated cleanings. Especially recommended for moldings and trim.

  These decorator tips create visual interest:

•     Paint the ceiling a color other than white or ivory. A darker shade will “bring a high ceiling down” and call less attention to ceiling imperfections. A deep caramel-colored ceiling in an older building gently “fades away” to allow focus on walls or furnishings.

•     Use paint to accent architectural features such as archways, moldings, or select walls. Example: One darker wall can add interest and depth to an uninteresting room.

•     Dark colors accent while light colors recede and can change the room’s focal point.

•     Use Eggshell/Satin finish on ceilings so ceiling fixtures don’t reflect a “hard” light if using a lighter paint color.

  So, perceived colors will be affected by lighting as well as reflective or influencing colors in nearby furniture, draperies, carpeting, paint or even accessories. A new coat of paint can quickly change the decorating scheme and how it makes us feel. A higher sheen could add just the amount of “light” needed to compliment older furnishings. Best of all, use this low-cost method to “color your world” in a new and uplifting way.

  Thanks to: Judy Soccio of SoccioRodriguez Designs, Monongahela, PA and Benjamin Moore Paints.