Work with colour theory. I always point people to the colour wheel for choosing the palette for their space. A monochromatic scheme is composed of a single hue but can use varying intensities. An analogous scheme uses colours that are adjacent to each other on the colour wheel. A complementary scheme brings in colours that are diametrically opposite to each other on the wheel. Don’t forget the trim. Another area where people make mistakes is with their wall colour and trim. They think they can just use white on the trim, but there are so many whites and using the wrong one on your trim can affect the end result. One trick is to paint the walls in a hue you like and then mix in 80 per cent white with that colour for the trim. A really contemporary look is to paint the walls and trim in the same colour but with a different finish. For example, use a matte paint on the walls and a glossy on the trim. Don’t use the tiny paint chips. To address these issues and to get an idea of how a colour will look in your space, get a sample and paint a large poster board. Paint chips are so small and make the colours seem much more intense. Be sure to evaluate at different points in the day and on different walls in the room.
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