Turn on the TV
Quick-makeover TV shows can actually inspire you to feel more comfortable with color. On these shows, people are often involuntarily pushed beyond their color comfort level, and most are pleasantly surprised by the results.
Related: 10 "Welcoming" Front Door Paint Colors
Emily LaMarque Design Studio
Look Around You
To find colors you’ll love to live with, survey your wardrobe, walk in your garden, or hunt around your house. A favorite scarf, flower, or throw pillow may help you identify the perfect paint color.
Related: Winning Combinations—10 "Can't Miss" Color Schemes
Utilize New Technology
Web tools and smartphone apps have completely transformed the color selection process—for the better! One example is Sherwin-Williams's ColorSnap, a mobile app that shows what different shades would look like on the walls of any room you've "snapped" a photo of.
design-milk.com
Get a Sample
Images in magazines or on the computer can point you in the right direction, but the only way to really see how a color will look in your home is to get a sample from a retailer.
Related: 21 Expert Picks for "Fail-Safe" Colors
Save Your Walls
Rather than painting a square that will later need to be covered with primer, try out Small Wall. You can move these adhesive-backed paint sample boards around the room to observe the effects of sunlight versus artificial light. Likewise, you'll be able to judge how the color will look beside furniture or artwork sharing the space.
Start Small
If you're feeling timid, experiment with color in a cozy powder room or an out-of-the-way guest bedroom. Then if you're pleased with the look—and if friends can't stop complimenting your choice—consider a bolder palette for other spaces as well.
Related: 17 Tiny Bathrooms We Love
Carla Aston
Break It Up
Still overwhelmed by the thought of four walls of color? Consider an accent wall, or if you have waist-high wainscoting, paint a bright shade up above and white down below.
Related: Look! 11 Painted Ceilings That Wow
For More...
For more about paint and color selection, consider:
8 Exterior Paint Colors That Might Help You Sell Your House
Hue Cues for 2014: 11 Color Trends to Follow
10 Unexpected Spots for Accent Colors
Don't Miss!
If you have the money to hire a handyman for every household woe, go ahead. But if you want to hang on to your cash and exercise some self-sufficiency, check out these clever products that solve a million and one little problems around the house. Go now!
