Choosing Paint Colors for Your Apartment

Want a home with spaces that flow? Are you looking to improve your mood and maybe even boost your health? Want your decor to feel more cohesive? Then, you need to choose paint colors for your apartment in Austin or your apartment in Naples and determine your home color scheme!

Selecting a color palette for your whole home will create a more harmonious flow between the rooms with decor that feels coordinated.

This is the best decorating solution for a chaotic feeling space that incorporates multiple styles, mismatched furnishings or an overload of color.

Make a plan

Before choosing your color scheme, Leslie Stern of Leslie M. Stern Design suggests checking your lease or asking your landlord about any restrictions on painting your apartment. If painting isn’t allowed, you may use temporary wall coverings or a variety of pictures to add color to your walls. With a little creativity, there are all kinds of ways to add color without the commitment of painting.

The team with Jackie Barnes Design suggests starting by “determining a color scheme that complements your furniture and decor to create a cohesive look.” Additionally, Michelle Gentile of Michelle Gentile Interiors recommends looking “at the tones, textures, and color of your furnishings.” She adds that “if your furniture tends to feel dark and heavy, then a light fresh paint color should be considered.”

For those who are going to be selecting new furnishings and decorations, pick four to six colors that you’ll use throughout your entire apartment in the decor and furnishings and on the walls (if you can paint). Choose one or two saturated colors, one subdued version of these colors, one or two neutrals and a white. If you love color, it can be hard to limit yourself but remember your ultimate goal — a home with flowing spaces and cohesive decor.

As you choose your palette, Veronica Bradley of Veronica Bradley Interiors shares that it is important to “consider the room’s purpose and what mood you want to evoke in the space.” Calm and spa-like? Try a monochromatic or an analogous color scheme in cool colors. Bold and modern? Experiment with complementary or monochromatic palettes. Romantic and vintage? Opt for a triad scheme with warm accents.

When it comes time to move out and you’re anticipating your deposit being returned, Bethany Palmer of Interiors by Bethany shares that you’ll want a color that “can easily be covered.” She recommends using “a light color for an accent wall and a neutral color for an overall.”

Also consider different inspirations, such as a designer whose work you admire, a specific fabric or work of art. Be sure you pick colors you love and that coordinate with elements in your home that you can’t easily change, like carpet or kitchen countertops.

Pick your colors

Once you narrow your colors and have a general palette worked out, head to your local paint center, even if you can’t or don’t want to paint. Start pulling the colors that you’ve decided on using for your home color scheme and simply play with them.

Whether you’re the one painting or you’re looking to hire a professional painter, the team with AptAmigo suggests “buying and applying three or four little cans of paint samples to test out options.” This step will help to ensure your happiness with your selection considering “actual paint colors often differ slightly from those paper swatches you start with.” Alternatively, Charlene Threatful, principal designer with Lush Interiors shares that you can ask “your local paint store for large paint swatches to get a better idea of how it will look on the wall before you paint.”

The team with Form Interiors shares that you’ll want to understand “the undertones of each color, which will stand out more evidently against a white background or when compared side-by-side.” They add that “warm colors tend to advance, creating a cozy feel, while cool colors recede, making a room feel more spacious.”

6 tips to implement your new color scheme

Now for the really fun part — implementing your home color scheme! It can feel a bit daunting at first but try these six tips to achieve your color dreams.

1. Survey your house and write a wish list

Walk around and ask yourself what you already own that will work well with the new scheme? What doesn’t work? Start a running wish list of décor and furniture you want to add to your home that matches the new colors.

Should adding an outdoor inspiration be something you’re interested in, Sarah Barnard Design suggests utilizing “neutral colors that emulate local flora and fauna” as they can facilitate a “connection between our living spaces and the natural world.”

2. Make a home color scheme reference guide

Take those paint chips you selected from your earlier trip and glue them on a piece of paper. In the margins, make notes about where and how you want to use these colors. Take your reference guide with you when you go shopping. This way your color scheme is at your fingertips when making decisions about your home decor.

Remember that paint colors come in different finishes, therefore, you’ll want to be certain you’re making the right selections for what you want to exhibit. Ariel Richardson with ASR Design Studio recommends “opting for a high-quality paint brand such as Dunn Edwards, as they offer a wide range of finish options.” For an elegant finish, she suggests that “their velvet finish is a great choice [as it] provides a subtle sheen and easy cleaning.”

3. Create a mood board

Once you’ve “eliminated colors that won’t work,” Leah Jones with LJ Interiors shares how “you can begin to create mood boards and start to bring more clarity to your vision.” If you prefer digital, get on Pinterest! Create a whole board devoted to this color scheme and items from your wish list.

4. Accessorize

Buying new home decor accessories will probably be one of the easiest and cheapest ways to implement your new home color scheme, especially if you’re not ready to paint or remodel. New accessories in the colors you want to use will act like bright color accents in the room and draw your eye, so try adding some throw pillows or a new piece of art. You might even repurpose old items to give your apartment a new look.