Dove gray walls offer a cool and refreshing palette to this living room.

I tend to think that paint trends reflect the world around us. The last few years have been a time of war and a bad economy, which influenced people toward warm and cozy reds and greens. Now that life seems to be easing up a bit, we’re starting to turn our eyes to those light and breezy paint colors that feel like a cool breath of fresh air.

How can you express that trend in your home? I’m seeing a lot of pale grays paired with aquas – a seacoast palette that is so appropriate for our Southern California homes. Add in a neutral yet warm oatmeal/off-white to achieve a crisp, modern look.

That said, orange is also really big right now. Unless you have a contemporary or eclectic home, I’d probably not recommend slapping bright orange paint on your walls. But you can update your look with a few pops of orange, perhaps using orange throw pillows, ceramic vases or other accessories.

Incorporate today’s popular orange shades in your decor for a pop of bright color.

If you are thinking about new paint for multiple rooms in your home, be sure to consider how all the rooms will look together. No room in your home is an island – they should all flow from one to the other. That doesn’t mean you have to paint every room the same color, but it does mean the shades should all complement each other, much like the hues in a multi-colored scarf would play off each other.

Those paper color swatches you can get at paint stores are really helpful to this process. Select some you like and take them home to see how they reflect in your home’s lighting. As you choose swatches at the paint store, find a color that you really like, then choose a swatch that is a little darker than that one and a swatch that is lighter. You might find with your home’s lighting and décor that one of the deeper or muted shades is a better choice. And don’t worry about taking too many swatches from the store– that’s what they’re there for.

A design professional is your best bet for creating a cohesive color palette that flows throughout your home. If we can assist you in selecting paint colors, or with any of your design needs, please contact us.