by Andrew Prelusky Jr.

Created on: January 05, 2011

Choosing a paint color for your bedroom?  Take a deep breath and relax, choosing a paint color is only as difficult as you make it.  First thing to do: Tell yourself that it’s just paint.  You’re not replacing the wallboard with granite.  You’re not putting up wood paneling.  You’re not hanging wallpaper, you’re just painting.  The best thing about using paint is that if you are not happy with the color, you can always paint over it.  Now that you’re calm and rational, you can begin the process.

A few things to remember before you get started.  To begin with, the color on the paint chip will be amplified on the walls.  If you think the chip might be too yellow chances are, when it’s on the wall the color will look more yellow; that’s because you are seeing more of it.  Next, don’t agonize over matching a color exactly.  Are you trying to match that blue stripe in the throw pillow?  It’s not going to matter if you’re off a shade.  By the time you get the paint on the wall, you won’t be able to tell the difference.   We see color as reflected light.  The color you see in the morning will change with the afternoon’s sun.  The color will look different at different times of the day.    Don’t worry about that!  You are looking too hard. 

The key to settling on a paint color is to sit back and let the color choose itself.  How does that happen you ask?  Well, the color on your walls is going to be determined by the other elements in your bedroom.  You don’t want to pick a color for the walls and then try to match the bed covers and window treatments to the paint color?  No, you work the other way around.  If you are purchasing new items for the room or working with existing fabrics and carpeting, you need to consider these elements when choosing color. 

If your fabric has bold color or a busy print you might want a soft neutral as a wall color.  In this case, think of your walls as a background.  You really don’t want to draw attention from your fabrics by making a bold statement on the wall.  Neutral doesn’t necessarily mean beige.  If you have a specific color in mind and you want a neutral version of it to color the walls, look for muted shades of the color.  Varying the shade will take some of the

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