Dr Dulux: How to Choose Your Paint Palette
1. How to choose paint colours you love
Think about the colours you love to wear, the environments you like to spend time in and the hobbies you enjoy. Which colours do you associate with the things you love? These are the shades that’ll add personality to your space while enhancing the mood you want to create. Now, if you’re thinking you love green for the garden, blue for the ocean and the riot of bold hues you choose for clothes, there’s an easy way to try them all out before committing to house colour schemes.
Blue is great for promoting high levels of thought, but too much can create a sense of detachment and coldness.
First, download the free Dulux Visualizer app. It uses augmented reality to bring your ideas to life with a paint colour matching scanner. Just take a picture or video of your room, scroll through your favourite shades and tap your choices to see them ‘instantly’ painted on your walls. Yes, that means you can go as wild as you like and get it out of your system. Or, you might just find that your most outrageous ideas actually work!
You never have to pine for the beach or the peaceful countryside, when you capture the spirit of it at home. Draw on your cherished experiences for colour scheme ideas that evoke what you adore, each and every day. For example, if you love that coastal holiday feel, consider a light, airy scheme with fresh neutrals and a splash of dreamy blue, like our Considered Luxury palette.
Can’t wait to escape to the forest? Combine tonal shades of green with deep, earthy neutrals, textured materials for soft furnishings and accessories literally plucked from nature. Add pops of yellow or orange to remind you of the sun peeking through the trees. Remember that there are no rules, so if you simply can’t choose one favourite, use different rooms to highlight an array of memories and moods.
It’s easy to add personality to your home without overpowering it with colour. Consider combining a main, neutral shade with an accent colour, whether it’s bold or subtlety striking. Neutral shades can appear both warm or cool, depending on what they’re paired with, so you can go as bold as you like with accent colours. For example, consider a deep grey. When combined with rich blue you’ll achieve a serene, oceanic feel. However, blend it with pops of yellow or orange and you’ll find that instant energy and warmth fills a space.
3. Embrace accent colours
Feature walls offer a great way to embrace accent shades and Dulux Feature Wall Matt comes in a range of exciting paint colours. Highlight fixtures such as fireplaces or doors with Spiced Honey for warmth or try green-greys for a cool, airy feel. If painting the main walls isn’t an option for you, use accent colours on photo frames, chairs, drawers or cupboards, with Dulux Quick Dry Satinwood for a lovely, mid-sheen finish. Don’t overlook window recesses, trim or other fixtures either, as they’ll come alive with a lick of paint.
