Where to Find Home Color Inspiration
Look for paint color ideas in things you already love: a piece of art, a cozy café, a vintage plate — even a memory
Are you thinking about new colors for the new year? Maybe you've been putting off your painting project because you just can't decide on which colors to use. After all, there are a million colors out there. If you like so many of them, which ones should you choose? One strategy is to make the process unique to you and what you like — not what others are doing. You can start by identifying an item, place, feeling or memory you find inspiring. Color is personal, and you'll be happiest when your selections reflect who you are.
Color inspiration can come from your fondest memories. Perhaps you remember baking cookies as a child in your yellow kitchen. Good memories can lead to great color choices.
How to Choose the Right Yellow
How to Choose the Right Yellow
You can often find inspiration in a colorful piece of art. Start with one of your favorite pieces, or one that holds special meaning, and look closely. Some colors will be prominent, but others won't be as noticeable.
Once you pinpoint the palette, you can use some or all of the hues for your upholstery, wall colors and accessories.
10 Design Strategies for Art Lovers
Once you pinpoint the palette, you can use some or all of the hues for your upholstery, wall colors and accessories.
10 Design Strategies for Art Lovers
It's easy to create a color palette based on the hues in an area rug. In the end, your rug will be the design element that ties together all of the colors together in the room.
In this child's room, denim blue and pale yellow are main colors that came directly from the floral-print rug.
In this child's room, denim blue and pale yellow are main colors that came directly from the floral-print rug.
Even small things — such as a pair of candles — can lead to big ideas. Here, a pair of pillars could have been the inspiration behind this room's peach walls and persimmon sofas and pillows.
With all of the color inspiration around you, don't forget to consider the obvious: Your favorite color. We sometimes have a tendency to forgo our best-loved hue because it may be a bold choice (like red) or it's a color that is not necessarily on trend. But so what? If it's your favorite color, it will make you happy.
Have you ever been moved by the colors in a public space? The design of my basement was inspired by the library on a cruise ship. Commercial spaces, like this chocolate-tasting salon, are a wonderful source of color and design ideas. This would be a fun and delicious design to recreate at home.
Nature is our biggest source of color inspiration. Summer flowers and even winter greens and browns give us ideas that will always look fresh.
Tell us: How did you choose a favorite color for your room?
More: Meet Pantone's Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango
How to Find the Right Gray
How to Find the Right Blue
How to Find the Right White
How to Find the Right Green
Tell us: How did you choose a favorite color for your room?
More: Meet Pantone's Color of the Year, Tangerine Tango
How to Find the Right Gray
How to Find the Right Blue
How to Find the Right White
How to Find the Right Green
If you love these colors, a red, blue, yellow or pink could be the perfect choice for your space.