Whether you’re a color fanatic who loves to mix things up or you’ve kept the same plain white walls in your house for years, Hellander gave us some advice on picking, painting, and experimenting with color. Hellander suggests starting with what already exists in your space. “I recommend looking at existing design elements that you know you love—like a favorite art print, tile backsplash, throw, or piece of furniture,” he says. “Oftentimes, you can pull out hues from these fixed or beloved elements that work nicely on walls. Layout your favorite items to create a version of a mood board, and from there see which colors pop out as your go-to hues.” Say you’re decorating a living room. Hellander suggests “an energetic shade of yellow or trendy lilac” to energize the space for entertaining, or a soothing gray or green for a calming place to escape and relax. “Narrow the pool down to one color family you love—and from there, sample, sample, sample until you land on the perfect hue,” he says. As light changes throughout the day, the shade will appear darker and lighter. BVC always recommends “sampling three to five variations of a color and painting large swatches on the wall.” This allows you to see how lighting will change the shade on your walls before you commit to a color. “If you’re working with an open floor plan—say the kitchen, dining and living room are open to one another—using the same color throughout can make the space feel even more open. On the other hand, if you want the rooms to feel more separate, use contrasting hues to create the illusion of more separated spaces.” That said, there is one theme Hellander likes to maintain throughout a house. “While there are no technical ‘rules’ when it comes to using paint throughout a home, I do recommend keeping the color of the trim and molding the same throughout to create a nice, consistent thread from room to room,” he says. Don’t be afraid to experiment with bright, bold colors throughout your home. Unlike permanent changes such as taking down a wall or adding expensive upgrades to a kitchen, paint can easily (and cheaply) be updated in a weekend. “Try each listing out adjectives about how you want the room to feel and be used, and then compare lists,” he says. “Once you’ve agreed on the vibe of the space, sample each partner’s top picks and check back throughout the course of at least a week. You might be surprised by how the perfect hue can grow on someone with a little time.”
