hacks

3 must-try paint hacks from a color consultant for "This Old House"

A selection of paints/Photographer: AnshuA via Unsplash

Professional colorist Bonnie Krims knows a lot about color. She's a former decorative painter and author, and has appeared as a color expert on the TV show for DIY diehards everywhere, This Old House. She divulges three tips for tackling your next painting project.

1) Choose a color at the right time during the process.

"Too often, homeowners want their rooms painted before they are furnished. They pick colors not realizing how hard it will be to find furnishings to match. Whenever possible, put furniture and accessory selection before paint color selection," says Bonnie.

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2) Reconsider your approach to painting the ceiling.

"People often believe that painting ceilings a color will make the room look smaller. In fact, it will actually make the room look bigger by pushing the walls out," she explains. "Pale blue is a favorite choice, but consider painting the ceiling the same color as the walls to negate their boundaries."

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3) Find the right match—then sample before painting.

When searching for a paint color, she says, "Find an object from the room that provides color inspiration." Match the color to a paint sample—either by bringing the object (or a photo of it) to your local paint shop, or by trying out our ColorMatch tool. Once you've got your colors, says Bonnie, start sampling. "Test them out. That cannot be overemphasized. Never put up a paint color without testing it first."