Posted June 18 in Premium Suppliers

Choosing the perfect paint for your new home

One of the most important interior design decisions you’ll make when building your new home are your paint colours. The palette you choose for your walls and ceilings sets the tone for your entire home: from white, bright and fresh, to dark, moody and modern.

‘A fresh coat of paint is a simple and inexpensive way to add colour and personality, and to create a place where you feel comfortable, inspired and happy,’ explains Dulux Colour and Communications Manager, Andrea Lucena-Orr.

‘It can highlight items you wish to focus on and camouflage any elements you want to hide.  Colour is versatile, flexible, and can empower a space or provoke a sense of tranquillity.’

Cohesiveness and longevity are key, with the right mix of paint colours offering a beautiful design foundation for years to come. But with so many colours on the market – complete with subtle undertones and finishes – paint choices can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why Andrea, along with Boutique Homes’ Interior Designer, Nadija Saluwadana, offer their top tips for choosing and applying the perfect paint.

1. Introduce a pop of colour in smaller areas

Most modern Australian homes are open plan, with a strong focus on neutral or white interiors – and for good reason. Do too much on your walls, and your interiors can quickly become ‘cluttered’, particularly once furnished. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use colour to add a punch of personality and interest in select spaces.

‘Consider introducing colour into smaller rooms such as an office or study,’ suggests Andrea. ‘Corridors and circulation spaces between rooms are often overlooked. With a lick of paint, they can quickly be turned into delightful transition areas, linking the rooms of your home.’

Feature walls also provide an opportunity to add a striking colour, without committing to an entire colour scheme. ‘A feature wall can be used to make a piece of furniture or artwork stand out, or consider adding a bold feature wall behind your bed, desk or television,’ adds Nadija.

2. Consider the undertones of your paint colour

If only colour was as simple as red, green, purple and blue! Instead, you need to consider the different hues that make each shade. Indigo, for example, is blue mixed with a hint of black. Or turquoise, which is made up of blue with a little bit of green.

While the overtone is the colour you’ll see, the undertones impact how well the colours of a room work together.

‘Undertones from other materials in your home will also make the paint look different, due to reflections and the material you are applying the paint to,’ explains Nadija. So how do you ensure your undertones don’t clash?  

‘Always do a test! Simply holding up the paint swatch to a wall won’t give you an accurate idea of what the effect will be,’ explains Nadija.

‘Instead, do a three-coat test patch straight onto the wall.’

3. Look at your colour underneath lights

A colour seen under showroom lights may look lighter or darker when viewed beneath your home lighting. ‘Lighting can also bring out undertones of the colour, which you may not have considered when the colour was first selected,’ says Andrea.

If the room is south facing, your windows will let in a soft light that will make dark paints appear darker and lighter paints look dimmer. If the room is north facing, the natural light will be more intense, making darker colours appear bright and light colours (such as white) appear washed out.

But this is nothing a bit of strategic artificial lighting can’t fix!

‘Standard soft white incandescent or LED light bulbs provide warm, natural lighting. These lights will make bright colours, such as red, orange and yellow, appear slightly more intense, and cooler paints, such as greens, blues and greys, appear a little duller,’ says Nadija.

‘Table lamps and floor lamps can also help to brighten rooms without impacting the paint colour too much.’

4. Research which paint colours are trending

White and neutrals are still well and truly in. With many people now working from home, warmer colour palettes that offer a serene space to reset and recharge have become extremely popular. Think Dulux Snowy Mountains Half and Natural White™, along with soft pastels.

‘Greige tones such as Dulux Terrace White, White Exchange Half and Tranquil Retreat are also rising up the charts,’ says Andrea. ‘For exteriors, greys continue to shine, with Dulux Timeless Grey, Grey Pail, Winter Fog and Domino popular choices.’

But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a splash of on-trend colour to bring your home to life. ‘Customers are also gravitating towards bright feature walls to add a bit of colour and cheerfulness into their lives following a tough year,’ adds Nadija.

5. Know where to use warm versus cool colour tones

Warm colour tones such as red, orange and yellow resemble sunlight and heat, evoking a feeling of creativity and playfulness. This makes them perfect for social living spaces, such as the dining room, theatre room and kitchen.

‘Visually, warm colours look as though they are advancing towards you, helping to make large rooms seem snugger. For example, painting a warm feature wall in a large bedroom will make it feel more intimate,’ explains Nadija.

Cooler colour tones such as blue, greens and light purples remind you of water, the sky and trees, and leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. Consider them for spaces designed for relaxation and rest, such as bedrooms and bathrooms.

‘Cool colour tones provide a calming, soothing affect, and will make a room feel larger,’ adds Nadija.

But remember – balance and contrast make or break a space.

‘Every room should include both warm and cool tones. If you want a room to feel larger, use cool colours as the dominant palette, and add warm tones via your styling or furniture,’ says Nadija.

‘Try to pair warm and cool tones with neutral colours such as tan, beige, ivory and cream. Neutrals are rarely exciting when used on their own, but they become breath-taking and sophisticated with a starring colour in their midst.’

6. Test out your colour choices – and not just once

It’s important your paint colour suits your overall interior style, including your furniture, fixtures and fittings, lighting and colour undertones. The best way to ensure your chosen hue works cohesively in your new home is to test it.

‘Try out your selected colours against your décor using A4 colour sheets,’ says Andrea.

‘Once you’ve narrowed the colour selection, use a sample pot to paint a larger test section on a large piece of cardboard.’

‘Consider the colour sample for at least three days before making a final decision,’ suggests Andrea.

7. Remember – paint quality matters

“All paint is not created equal. At Boutique Homes, we selected the Dulux® Wash&Wear® formula because it ensures walls continue to look freshly painted for years to come,” says Nadija.

The new Wash&Wear +PLUS Anti Scuff product by Dulux also ensures that your paint is long-lasting and the highest quality whilst being lived in.

“With built in resistance against scuffs and marks, and its hard-wearing finish means you can wipe away most common marks and stains with a wet cloth. I also love using it for interiors where minimal light reflection is desired”.

Are you preparing for your Interior Design Consultation?

Our team of talented Interior Designers have provided their top tips for your home. Whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom or exterior, read through a range of blogs that offer insights into a stylish home.

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