- In this video you learn how to pick the paint color
for the interior of your house, including if you should use
the same color for the entire house,
when you should actually paint,
what are some of the top colors for 2019?
That's starting right now.
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brought to you by Brookfield Residential.
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So today, I'm joined by Mackenzie Schurer,
interior designer with Brookfield Residential
and the topic we're gonna talk about today is
how to pick a color for the interior
of your house when painting.
So Mackenzie, I guess the first question is,
because I have no clue in terms of the kind of colors
you should paint inside your house.
Should it all be one color?
- There are a couple of ways to go about it.
We generally encourage most of the home to be in one color,
just so that, you know, for continuity.
A lot of the home designs right now are an open concept,
and so it doesn't give you really logical places
to stop and start a color.
Having said that, if you wanna change colors of bedrooms,
bathrooms, I think that's an easy place to transition.
The smaller the home typically,
the fewer colors, I would suggest.
So to keep the flow throughout the space,
I would probably steer towards something similar
instead of chopping it up, but in general,
separate rooms you can switch.
And then if you wanna do a feature wall here and there
intentionally, some people still choose to do that as well.
- Doesn't it matter in terms of if a room has
a lot of windows versus not a lot of windows,
the type of color?
'Cause I would imagine you'd probably want
a brighter color in those rooms?
- It just depends on how much color
you really wanna see on the wall.
So obviously, whatever color you choose
in a bright space like that, it's gonna read lighter.
In general, any color we choose is going to read
a shade or two lighter on the wall,
just once you have light reflecting in the space
and the natural light coming in.
So that's something to consider as well.
- Is there a kind of a neutral paint that you should be,
that if you don't really want your house
to really be bright neon, whatever, right?
- Yeah, I generally lean towards something
a little bit more neutral, only because repainting,
although it's not an expensive process,
it's a very time intensive process,
especially with the open concept homes.
Finding something neutral really depends on
the rest of the finishes, so for example,
we have two neutrals here, but they're very different.
One is cool and one is warm, in terms of the undertones.
So making sure you're coordinating your paint
with the rest of your finishes is really important.
- I know we talked about earlier, about countertops,
bathrooms or a kitchen, you can see those videos here
and I'll leave it in the description below,
but how does that play into the type of paint you choose?
Like how you've setup your countertops
or vice versa, I guess.
- In general, you'll find that a well designed home
has either a warm or a cool thread running through it.
So, tying those together, you're not very often
going to see the paint right on the countertop like this,
but it's important to make sure
that everything works together.
This is a warmer undertone with a warmer quartz.
This is a cooler undertone with a cooler quartz.
And if they're mix-matched, you would really notice
that one really looks off.
To any time you go opposite ends of the color wheel,
for example, red and green, those two colors are
going to make each other look even more different.
So if you're gonna go with a warm and a cool
next to each other, just know that they are gonna
make each other look warmer and cooler.
So trying to tie in the undertones
is an important piece of the puzzle.
We also find that in North America specifically,
and especially in Calgary, our light tends to be more blue.
The exterior light, so the natural light.
So going with something a shade or two warmer
is going to prevent your house from having
that kind of blue undertone, especially in the winter,
when the light's reflecting off of the snow.
It's just something to consider,
versus if you're living in Southern California.
- What would, in terms of interior paint be?
Would that be more contrast or more, I guess, analogous?
- Yeah, I think you just wanna go more complimentary.
You wanna go sort of on the same spectrum.
Unless you wanna lot of drama,
you can definitely play with paint.
We tend to choose it sort of last in the selections process
because there are so many options.
So you can really do whatever you want with it,
but I find that keeping that general undertone,
the thread of that through your home is important.
You'll also find that a more grayed-out color,
so sort of on this half of the color palette,
versus a pure color, is going to give you more flexibility.
So the gray just provides more depth.
It provides more flexibility
with the rest of your finishes too.
- Although what you do find is that, you know,
when you're trying to visit some homes,
it kinda starts lookin' the same, right?
It's just a lot of grayish-type bright colors,
'cause I know people don't really wanna go beyond,
but sometimes it's kinda neat to be
a little bit different too, right?
- Yeah, and you can do that with level of color too.
You can stay in the gray palette,
but maybe you go with charcoal
instead of going red or green.
So you can add contrast without adding new color.
And that will help keep everything cohesive.
- And how about for resale?
Like if you wanted to, for resale,
what would be a better color type?
Would be the grayish, probably be better?
- Neutral. - Neutral?
- I think neutral and something that really works
with the rest of the palette because you don't
want that to stand out.
If the paint stands out, then it's just one more thing to,
one more piece of the puzzle that,
maybe just doesn't feel quite right.
- And so, what are some of the color trends
for, I guess, 2019, 2020?
Is it still that grayish look or a little bit different?
- What I've noticed when working with homeowners is
we're trending back from those cool grays
into a little bit more of a warmer color palette.
We're sort of steering away from the very blue-gray,
and things are just warming up a little bit.
And that's just a reflection of where we were,
and people just want something different.
So, and it also speaks to trends
in cabinets and flooring as well.
- And so, when you say warmer,
I always think of getting reddish.
That's, I don't think that's probably,
is that what you're referring to?
It's not gonna be like on this side.
- No, but like this warmer, it's pearly white.
This would be a yellow or a red undertone.
- Oh, okay. - This one in particular,
probably more of yellow.
That's the base of the paint itself.
Whereas this one's, the base is more of a blue.
- Sometimes paint kind of dulls over time.
How often do you need to repaint your house
to get that fresh kind of look?
- Mostly it's just wear and tear.
The paint surface itself shouldn't disintegrate,
or you know, get a lesser quality.
It's more about touching up any nicks or dents,
baseboards, that's an important spot to do that.
Also, the paint sheen that you use is important.
So, going with something that is more of a semi-gloss
or a little bit more scrubbable on the baseboard
will prevent you from having to repaint quite as quickly.
And then going with something like an eggshell
or a satin on the wall kinda gives you that happy medium.
- And if you were to have different colors
in different rooms, do they need to be
specifically complimentary for resale?
Or is it more of your style?
- I think it's personal preference.
The one thing to consider, especially with kids' rooms,
or really bright colors, if you're going into this,
sort of more pure color realm, doing a bright pink
in a bedroom, those colors tend to reflect very easily.
So, looking down a corridor, if you have a pink room
and a blue room, you will sort of see those colors
reverberate into the hallway.
So it's just something to consider.
Often we encourage people to go
with more of a gray-hued version of that,
and it will just not be quite as drastic a difference.
- Got it, got it, and that also matches in terms of,
I know we talked about countertops,
but does that also match in terms of your flooring as well?
- Yeah. - Right?
- I'd say flooring and wall color are the two
that probably have to coordinate the most.
And then cabinet color will play into that as well.
Your countertop doesn't typically butt up enough
with the paint for it to be a huge issue,
but just as something to consider,
'cause usually the countertop is reflective
of the cabinets and the floors.
- Do you have anything else to add in terms
of picking paint colors for the interior of your house?
- I think when you're given the opportunity,
if you can, do a test swatch on the wall.
It's really helpful.
If you don't have that opportunity,
looking at a paint on the plane that you're going to see it,
so holding it up flat, as opposed to always looking
at it down like this, is gonna give you a more realistic
version of what that paint does in different lights.
It's also a really nice tool if you can pin it up
or do a test swatch in your home and watch it
throughout the day, maybe over a couple of days.
You'll see how that color transforms.
It's gonna change, but as long as it coordinates each time,
then you've got a good pick.
- Perfect. - Yeah.
- So the question of the day I have for you is,
when was the last time you painted the interior
of your house and what color did you use and why?
Let us know in the comment section below.
If you wanna know more about the interior design
of your home, check out these playlists here,
and I'll catch you in our next video.