Written by: Adriana Jacir • June 4, 2019• Ask the Expert Home

Paint Your Space

The moment has come, you’ve made the decision to paint the room(s) in your home. You are focused on getting the job done and head over to visit a paint store. As you stand there in true combat mode: color chips vs. you, time comes to a stop; you feel the color hue quicksand sucking you in. Confusion sets in as the options take over your focus and determination. The endless shades of gray and array of “off whites” that seem all the same yet have proper names like: Powder Sand, Cotton Balls, Simply White, and Ice Mist, turn you off into a sea of self-doubt. “Dash out and leave it for another day” seems like the best color name at the moment. But do you really want to just leave? That unfinished room or your peeling home exterior paint will be there greeting you like a faithful friend on your return! So…Let’s grab the “navy bull” by the horns. Below are seven tips, to getting your paint hues fired up!

The Space
- My first question to any client: How do you wish to feel in your space? Focused, efficient, creative? Secure and at ease? Passionate and optimistic? Is this a social space or sleeping quarters? Once you know how you want to feel in the space and what its function is, the color will come to you with ease.
Undertones
- Let’s say you want a white as the neutral for your walls. White comes with many undertones. If you put Benjamin Moore’s Sand Dollar White next to its Pure White, the first one will have a red undertone to it as opposed to the latter one which will have a blue undertone. Keep that in mind as you feel and look at the colors.
To Trend or Not To Trend
- That gray you saw on the HGTV magazine that is trending looks perfect! Before running to purchase all the forty and something dollar paint cans take a moment to feel if that color works in your desired space. Does it coordinate with your furniture and the other existing spaces? If you are only painting one room, will it flow well with the adjacent rooms?
Location
- Take a look at your windows and see what direction they are facing. Depending on your home’s location, light will impact differently the color on your walls. South-facing windows allow the most winter sunlight but not as much direct sunlight during the summer months. North-facing windows have a relatively even, natural light. East and West facing windows provide good daylight, although in South Florida the West sun most likely needs proper shading as it is the most intense hours of sunlight in the afternoon.
Base Paint & Accents Colors
- Stick to a neutral palette for all walls and ceilings and then add a few accent walls here and there. I personally love an accent wall. It brings in a pop of color and visual interest. Take into consideration if you have furniture with bold colors or textured fabric and avoid pairing a strong piece like a blue sofa with a bold accent wall, as they can neutralize each other and neither will stand out. Neutral does not have to be a white, beige or gray, just a lighter version of any color.
Samples and the process of elimination
- Take home some sample chips from the paint store. Try to make a pre-selection or order a color fan online and have it delivered to your doorstep. Select three base colors then order oversized color samples or purchase quarts of paint to sample on a foam board. This will give you a better grasp of what your color selection will feel like. Move the color boards around to each wall and get a sense of how the light will bounce off the color. Bright natural light will wash out colors, so you might have to go a shade darker.
Our Favorite Whites
- Benjamin Moore Whites: China White, Cotton Balls (yellow undertone), White Dove & Decorators White. Sherwin Williams: Pure White, Cotton White, Alabaster (warm undertone), Creamy and Westhighland.

I hope these were some helpful tips that have guided and inspired you through the paint selection process!

Adriana Jacir is founder and owner of 2112 Design Studio. With a master’s degree in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University in NYC, she offers more than 15 years of experience in the architecture and interior design business. A proud resident of the Palmetto Bay-Pinecrest area. PH: 786.732.0123 – www.2112designstudio.com – Instagram: @2112designs- Email: [email protected]

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