HOW LIGHT AFFECTS COLOUR - Tips for choosing paint colours
Light is often overlooked when choosing a paint colour. The same colour you loved in the paint store might not look the same in your living room. Under your light at home you may need to use a colour that is two or three shades up or down the paint chip.
Light has a dramatic effect on how a paint colour will work in a room and here are a few things to keep in mind.
It is important to take into consideration the light in your room during the day and the artificial light at night. Many paint manufacturers now offer sample jars and big chips so you can see how the colour will look on the walls under different lighting conditions. Try painting a square of sample colour directly on the wall or paint a board that is at least 8" x 12". Look at your colour at various times of the day and night. This extra step is well worth the effort to get it right. Maybe your goal is to have multiple rooms appear the same colour if so you might find you have to vary the paint colour slightly from room to room.
In general, light colours tend to make a room feel open and airy brightening a space, while darker warmer colours tend to make a space more intimate and cozy. However, there are exceptions, a bold darker colour can look great in a room with low light conditions (such as a bathroom) if you combine it with white trim. It is the contrast that creates the feeling of brightness.
On the other hand, if you paint a room with little daylight a pale colour it could make your room appear a little dingy.
For those lucky enough to have lots of natural warm daylight in your room you can use either pale colours, drab colours or even white and it will look wonderful.
Hope these tips give you a little more confidence and inspiration when choosing paint colours for your next project.
