The Boss’s Daughter

How to Overcome Paint Paralysis

 

Have you or a loved one ever fallen victim to paint paralysis? You aren't the first and you most definitely won't be the last. Choosing a paint color for your home can come with serious stress! The fear of choosing the wrong color can hold a lot of people back from choosing any color at all. Two common traits of paint paralysis are: second guessing or not knowing where to begin. 

 

There is hope! With years and years of successfully (and unsuccessfully) choosing the right color we have learned a trick or two in making the process not just tolerable but actually enjoyable!  

 

My first experience with choosing a paint color I thought was going to be awesome! Finally, I get to pick the color. I was fourteen which meant I basically knew everything and needed no advice from my parents at all-- forget the fact that my dad owns a remodeling business-- I got this!  Anyway, I wanted purple, so I was flipping through the color swatches and saw "Viking Diva". Ok obviously I must have this color. One, Vikings are bad ass and two, I am a total diva. Color chosen, that was super easy. As I tell my dad the name of my choice, he is no fool and straight out tells me "Candi, you can't pick a color based on the name", appalled at the fact that he thinks he knows me so well, I said "I didn't! This is the color I want!" After asking me a number of times if I am sure and do not want to rethink it and chose maybe a lighter color, something not so bright, my dad has my room painted. 

 

To this day I have yet to admit that that was the ugliest color I have ever seen on a wall. I lived four years in that bedroom regretting my choice and refusing to admit choosing a color based on the name is a foolish concept. 

 

Nearly twenty years later I have learned from my mistakes and recently painted my living room. Here are some tips I suggest before you start the paint process. 

 

 

 

Paint Comes Last: 

Don’t pick your paint color first. Take inventory of your room, what are you keeping and what are you adding? Start with your bigger pieces, with your statement pieces and go from there. 

 

Emotional Connection:

Colors are so much meaning behind them. There are a number of books based on the psychology of colors and what they mean. For example, blues can create a calm and peaceful space. Red is often associated with passion and drive and yellow can be quite quirky. 

 

Large Samples:

Put up large samples of the paint color you are considering. I would suggest a 2x2 square. Next to it I would choose a shade lighter and darker. 

 

Take Your Time: 

Sometimes the color you choose can look completely different to you when you sit down after work than it did when you woke up that morning. Leave it up for a few days and see how you feel.