Whether you’re building a new home or restoring an old one, chances are you have hired a bevy of experts to help make your dream home a reality. From architects to contractors to painters, almost every professional in the book has strolled through your abode in pursuit of helping your make your vision come true. The one person who you might have forgotten, though, is the one who can really help you make your house a home: a Paint Color Consultant.
While you might be fairly certain on the colors that you love, a professional Color Consultant can ensure that your vision comes to life. Maybe you love red, but do you want it splashed on the walls of your living room? Or, maybe you are at a complete loss on what will look good and need someone to help you gain some confidence in your design vision. Whatever your situation, a Color Consultant is there to help your dream come true.
In first looking for the right consultant, ask the people around you. Architects, interior designers, and even the people at the paint store might have ideas of a great Color Consultant for you. Once you get a few names, call around and talk to a few. You want to make sure you have good chemistry before starting such a collaborative project.
Once you’ve found the consultant for you, he or she will most likely set up an initial consultation. Be prepared when they come to show them your favorite colors, textiles, and what is already a permanent choice for your home (like countertops and woodwork). It also couldn’t hurt to pull a few pictures from magazines of rooms you love or even make a collage of your design vision. This will help your consultant get a feel of what you want and help them to be inspired in your space.
Once you have shared your vision with your consultant, let them run with it a bit. After all, they have been trained to help clients like you have the best space possible. Let them brainstorm and inform you of what colors are trending or what is psychologically meaningful for a room. They are professionals and creative, so trust them a bit and try to be open to their suggestions. More than likely, you will be delightfully surprised at what they have to say.
Once the color choosing process is underway and a design plan has been set, get some paint samples. You want to actually paint swatches on the wall and live with your choices for a day or two. The light hits colors in different ways throughout the day and those little paint samples can never give you the exact idea of what a color will look like in your space. This is your time to go crazy and try out colors that you might least expect to like. You might just be surprised at how much you love deep red, or let down blue.
Once you have lived with your swatches, it’s time to make some final decisions. If you are on the fence about a color choice and your consultant assures you it’s going to be amazing, trust their opinion and go with the bolder choice. On the other hand, if you absolutely hate something, speak up. You are the one who has to live with the color, after all.
Now, sit back and watch as your space transforms from a lackluster, white drywall space to a cozy, vibrant, and inspirational space. Your consultant should come back and check to make sure things are going according to plan and work with your painters to make sure they get it right, depending on the agreement you have made. Make sure that the painters have clear instructions, however. You don’t want room colors getting switched on accident and then having to redo a room or two.
Hiring a professional Paint Color Consultant can be one of the smartest moves you make when designing your home. They can help you to carry out your vision or gain some design confidence that can spring you into full force when applying the finishing touches to your space. Just remember, know what you want and have a game plan, but also remember that you hired this professional for a reason and trust their suggestions! More than likely you will be amazed at how wonderful your home looks in the colors you might be the least likely to choose.
