The World of Color There is a growing trend of increased color use in residential homes. However, at the same time, most contractors are not willing to make the color choice for the home owner. While color is important, a great job begins with proper planning. Paints serve to protect and to decorate, and what better space to decorate than your own living space. Most studies show that the number one reason most people paint is to change the color. To cater to this manufacturer’s continue to offer more sophisticated color palettes and some have organized these palettes to better aid the optimum selection of color. As a result, consumers are much more color confident today but they may need guidance in determining which color direction to head. What a valuable service you can provide your customers by bringing them differentiated service set against color and design tools.

While the four steps above ensure a good paint job, in the overall planning cycle, choosing the right color and sheen comes first. Some guidelines are offered below:

Assess Fixed Elements

• Consider those items that will not be painted or changed:
- Upholstered Furniture
- Drapes
- Carpets
- Floors

• Be sure the color you choose for your walls, woodwork and ceilings will be compatible or complementary with the significant color elements of each room.

• Use our Digital Color Wheel to help you with look at a range of Color Schemes.

Choose Color Scheme

• Select your general color or color scheme first, then pick up color cards from various paint manufacturers which often show color combinations and exact shades of the colors they would provide.

• Paint pieces of foam board to ‘test’ the color in various lights of your room. If you’re uncertain about the color, paint several foam boards different colors to give you confidence in your choice.

Select the Right Sheen

• Sheen is a personal preference, but there are guidelines that will help you choose the right sheen within an acceptable range for a given application. Sheen is a function of the ingredients of the paint and certain properties are built in for a given application.

• Visit our Sheen Selector for specific recommendations.

To further assist with this, PQI has introduced their Color Designer. Here, one can get ideas on various color schemes by virtually painting rooms with a broad design cross-section. And for a fee, one can import a photo of a room to be painted and test various color schemes to ensure the right selection of colors.

In addition, some tips on the psychology of color and the impact of color on the size of the room – are presented below.

The Psychology of Color
Years of color response research have shown that certain colors elicit specific--and often strong--responses.

COLOR WARM UP Colors in the red, orange and yellow families are referred to as "warm" colors since they evoke images associated with heat, like fire or sunshine. As a result they make us feel warm in a psychological sense.

Red
This powerful color increases blood pressure and heart rate. It often produces feelings of intimacy, energy, passion and sexuality. It also stimulates the appetite and is often used in restaurants and is an excellent choice for dining rooms in the home.
Orange
Like red, orange warms a room but in a less dramatic and passionate way. The mood and attitude of orange is more friendly than fiery; more welcoming than seductive. Orange works well in living rooms and family rooms and is also a good choice for children's bedrooms.
Yellow
Yellow grabs attention and catches the eye like no other color, hence the use of yellow highlighters in offices. In poorly lit foyers and hallways, yellow shows the way. In their bedrooms, elderly people report that yellow lifts their mood. But bright yellow can be too strong and may actually cause anxiety in infants, young children and the elderly.

COLOR COOL OUT Blues, greens, violets and their intermediates are considered cool colors because of their references to pastoral landscapes and ocean vistas. When we look at these colors they elicit feelings of peace, tranquility and relaxation.

Blue
Soothing blue is an ideal bedroom color choice for adults and children. But that same blue that lulls us to sleep also suppresses our appetites, possibly because there are very few naturally blue foods. Put blue to bed, but try and keep it out of the dining room.
Green
As the dominant color in nature, we are at home with green anywhere in the house. Light greens work well in baths and living rooms; mid-range greens are a great accent for kitchens and dining rooms. The calming effect of green makes it popular in hospitals, schools and work environments.
Violet
Despite the favorable response violet elicits in children, many adults dislike purples, with rosier shades of violet being somewhat more appealing. Children's bedrooms and play areas may be good places to experiment with this color family.

For more ideas on color and design for various rooms and spaces in the house, visit the PQI Design Center.

Enhancing the Dimensions of Your Room or Space

• To make a room seem more spacious . . . use a light colored paint.
  
  
• Want the space to feel larger still? Decorate the room in a monochromatic color scheme.
  To make a room seem smaller . . . apply dark, warm colors (reds, apricots and golds) to walls and ceilings. You can also "shrink" space with pattern. If a room seems oversized and cold, add a chair rail and apply different colors of paint above and below the molding. Adding texture by "sponging" or "stippling" the walls will shrink it still further.
  
  To ensure a color that lasts (cleanable with no fading) chose a Top Quality 100% Acrylic Paint.