Colour should make you feel good. You can find inspiration from anywhere, whether it’s your favourite dress or a piece of artwork. Most of the time you don’t have to look too far. We so often lose touch with our creative side, but bringing colour into our homes should feel exactly that, creative and enjoyable.
At the same time, choosing the right paint colour for your home can feel like a daunting task. With so many options available and endless advice online, it’s easy to become overwhelmed or unsure where to start.
Over the years working as an interior stylist and designer, I’ve found that choosing paint colours becomes much easier when you focus on a few key considerations. The right colour doesn’t just look good on a swatch, it works with the light, the materials in the room and the feeling you want the space to have.
Here are my tips for choosing the right paint colour for your home.
CONSIDER THE FEELING YOU WANT TO CREATE
The first place I always start when choosing paint colours is the mood I want the room to have.
It’s well proven that colour can influence how we feel in a space. Soft pastels and neutral tones tend to create a calming atmosphere, while brighter or higher chroma colours can feel more energising and expressive.
A helpful starting point can be colour theory. Looking at a colour wheel helps you understand the relationship between colours and how they interact with one another. Colours opposite each other create contrast and energy, while colours sitting beside each other offer a more harmonious and layered blend. Similar tones tend to feel softer and more soothing.
When you begin by thinking about the feeling you want to create, choosing paint colours becomes far less overwhelming.
CREATE A MOOD BOARD
Before committing to a paint colour, I always recommend creating a mood board.
Collect images, screenshots or references that capture the overall look and atmosphere you want for the space. These could come from Pinterest, interior magazines, your favourite television show, travel memories or even fashion. Inspiration can truly come from anywhere.
The important thing is to keep these references together in one place so you can easily revisit them when selecting materials, furniture or paint colours.
Over time you’ll start to notice patterns in the colours and textures you’re naturally drawn to, which can make choosing paint colours for your home much easier.
OBSERVE THE LIGHTING IN YOUR SPACE
Natural light plays a huge role in how paint colours appear in a room.
One of the most common mistakes people make when choosing paint colours is relying solely on a small swatch. Paint colours can look completely different once they’re applied to the wall and exposed to the light in your home.
I always recommend painting a generous swatch, around 60cm x 60cm, directly onto the wall. This allows you to observe how the colour changes throughout the day as the light shifts.
A colour might feel soft and beautiful in the morning light but appear darker or cooler in the evening once artificial lighting is introduced. Understanding how lighting affects paint colour is essential when making your final decision.
CREATE A COHESIVE COLOUR PALETTE
Once you’ve identified a direction, the next step is creating a colour palette that flows naturally throughout the home.
A helpful guideline I often use when designing interiors is the 60:30:10 ratio. In this approach, sixty percent of the room is the dominant colour, which is often the wall colour. The next thirty percent is a secondary colour that appears through furniture or textiles. The remaining ten percent is where you can introduce contrast or a brighter accent.
This could appear in artwork, decorative objects or even something subtle like painted skirting boards or trims.
Starting with a base of warm or cool neutrals can help create a strong foundation for the rest of the palette. For a step-by-step guide, I share more in my article on creating a cohesive colour scheme.
DON'T BE AFRAID OF COLOUR!
When I was considering the colour palette for my own bedroom, I wanted the space to reflect my personal style. I’m naturally drawn to neutral, warm and earthy shades, but at the same time I didn’t want the room to feel limited to white, beige and brown tones.
Instead, I introduced colour through the trims and French doors using Dulux’s Wasabi Aquanamel, a soft yet fresh green with a yellow undertone.
This small moment of colour elevated the room and gave it character without compromising the warm and inviting atmosphere I wanted the space to have. Sometimes the most effective way to introduce colour is through thoughtful details rather than painting every wall.
If you're unsure where to start, I share several creative ways to bring colour into your home here.
CONSIDER THE SIZE AND FUNCTION OF THE ROOM
The size and function of a room should always influence the paint colours you choose.
A bold or darker colour might feel overwhelming in a large open space if not balanced with other elements. However, in smaller rooms such as powder rooms or studies, darker colours can create depth and intimacy.
Bedrooms generally benefit from softer tones that encourage relaxation, while living areas often feel more inviting with warm, layered colours that create a sense of comfort.
Thinking about how the room will be used can help guide your colour decisions in a practical way.
REMEMBER NOT ALL WHITE PAINT COLOURS ARE THE SAME
White paint might seem like the simplest choice, but it can actually be one of the most difficult colours to select.
Different shades of white contain subtle undertones that influence how they appear in your home. Warm whites often have yellow or red undertones, while cool whites lean towards blue or grey.
The right direction depends on several factors, including the natural light in the room, the orientation of the space and the materials you’re working with.
As with any paint colour, the most reliable way to decide is to test samples directly on the wall and observe how they behave throughout the day.
READY TO CREATE A HOME YOU'LL LOVE?
Choosing the right paint colours for your home can feel overwhelming when you're trying to balance lighting, finishes, furniture and architecture all at once. Sometimes an outside perspective can make the process far clearer!
Through my interior styling and design services, I work with homeowners to develop colour palettes that feel cohesive, timeless and personal. Whether you’re refreshing a single room or designing an entire home, thoughtful colour choices can transform how a space feels.
You can learn more about my interior styling and design services, or if you'd like to discuss your project you can book a free design intro call here. 
FAQ: HOW TO CHOOSE PAINT COLOURS
How do you choose the right paint colour for my home?
Start by thinking about the feeling you want the room to create. Gather inspiration through a mood board and test paint samples directly on your walls so you can see how they respond to natural light throughout the day.
Should you test paint colours on the wall before painting?
Yes. Paint colours can appear very different depending on lighting conditions, so testing large swatches on the wall allows you to see how the colour changes throughout the day before committing.
How many paint colours should you use in a home?
Most homes work best with a small palette of core colours repeated across rooms. This helps create a sense of flow and cohesion throughout the home.
How do you create a cohesive colour scheme in my home?
Start by selecting a small palette of colours that can flow naturally from room to room. A helpful approach is to begin with a neutral base and then layer in secondary colours and accents through furniture, textiles and artwork. Repeating a few key tones throughout the home helps spaces feel connected rather than disjointed.
If you'd like a deeper guide, I share practical tips in my article on creating a cohesive colour scheme in your home.
How do you introduce colour without painting an entire room?
Colour can be introduced through trims, doors, furniture, artwork or decorative objects. If you'd like more ideas, I share several approaches in my guide on
creative ways to bring colour into your home.
