Post 1 – How to Choose the Perfect Paint Color
The planets aligned when I spotted the most amazing vintage console table at an estate sale.
I may have dislocated a shoulder as I threw myself upon it before anyone else could snag it. The empty space beneath my sunroom TV will, at last, have a place to hold our stash of DVDs, books and … a place to throw all the clutter when guests arrive.
My search has finally ended … but now to give it a little colorful TLC with the perfect paint color. First, I checked out the Sherwin-Williams website to peruse my color choices. It was there that I discovered my new love – the Sherwin-Williams Color Visualizer. How cool that you can upload your own photos and “virtually paint” walls, furniture and even small pets, if that’s your thing, all without ever leaving the comfort of your sofa. I mean, who doesn’t love picking paint colors while sipping a glass of vino?
Like the Nanny, I’m the lady in red while everyone else is wearing tan, and I wanted this media cabinet to be the same. I narrowed down my choices to a vibrant blue, knowing it would be a great contrast to my green sofa, so off I went in search of the perfect shade. Would it be peacock, navy, baby, sky or perhaps indigo? So many choices, but where to begin?
So now, when I buy my paint, there will be no more staring in a confused stupor at the row upon row of color chips.
I will now march confidently into the paint store and say with authority, “I’ll have a gallon of Intense Teal, please.”
The paint store employees will be amazed at my color-picking panache as I sashay out of the store with my arsenal of paint, primer, brushes, and drop cloths in hand.
You know how getting something new makes you look around the room and realize more changes are needed?
Well, that’s exactly what happened to me, and I can’t wait to show you how one estate sale find turned my sunroom into a fabulously fun and colorful room that I never want to leave (you’ll never guess what I put on the TV wall)!
So the next time you see this vintage beauty, she’ll be showing off her new makeover and will be the hit of my sunroom. I’m afraid the other pieces of furniture may start gossiping about her – you know how catty furniture can be sometimes.
Drumroll please …
come check out the finish painted thrift shop makeover beauty in all it’s glory here.
Post sponsored by Sherwin-Williams but all opinions are my own!
#Sweepstakes Entry- I use nature as my color choice to paint new things.
love your “new” vintage console table. the color is fantastic.
My home is mostly neutrals and I find my pops of color mainly through textiles. Nature is always a good inspiration for color too.
This tool is great and I am going to use it to find the perfect color for my bedroom wall! I have been struggling with that decision forever!!! Yay…sherwin williams! & that console table is AMAZING! Lucky lady!!! 😉 Jesse @ Scout & Nimble
LOVE how this turned out! And after bringing home 8 samples of paint to pick a house color, I believe the NEXT time I will use the SW Color Visualizer – that would have saved me quite a bit of aggravation….. “too dark, not enough contrast, too light, too muddy, etc.”
Can’t wait to see your finished product!
I get all my color inspiration from Sherwin Williams color pizzazz line. I love the collection because all the colors work together. It makes it easier for me to figure out what works and flows through the whole house 🙂
I could use all the money towards paint that’s available to me!!
That color feature at Sherman Williams site is impressive! I love your new piece too 🙂 It can be a challenge to find the right color for something and this makes it almost fool proof. Thanks for sharing it.
how I find color inspiration for my home … after visiting the paint store and bringing home (again) every single paint chip in the store, and taping it to the wall, then purchasing several quarts of the fav options, then hating them for different reasons, then combining two or more sample colors to create a unique color to see if it is more or less to my liking, I’ll finally dream (you read that correctly) about the room and see “the” (or close enough) color. I basically think I simply exhaust myself enough to like whatever the next color is I land on 😉
I’m constantly inspired by my friends and their houses and clothing. When I see a bright scarf setting off an outfit I instantly think of that color on a piece of furniture setting off a room! My bench out front was inspired by a thrifted shirt… now I wish I would have painted my front door that shade!
I didn’t even know that Sherwin-Williams had that tool! thanks for letting me know Kelly. I agree, that piece is gorgeous! Can’t wait to see it all done!
And oh, I usually get color inspiration from the fabrics around my space, or just whatever catches my fancy at the paint store! 😉
I wanted to paint the interior of my homes since I moved in (6 years ago) and finally got around to doing the living room. I was very apprehensive but went with what “spoke” to me at the store. The accent wall is a very similar color to the color you chose. the rest of the walls are antique silver grey and the room is gorgeous! I did try samples to get the right shades but was still not sure how it would look in mass. I am so pleased with the results.
Now that I know this tool exist it will give me even more courage to tackle other rooms with color since I can try it on the entire surface and see what the results will be. Very pleased indeed!
I too would have snagged that console in a minute and love the results, how could I not, it is in my color! Thank again for wonderful inspiration Kelly!
Painting furniture has become my latest obsession! Can always use more paint!
Always enjoy your posts, actually look forward to them. Love the color you picked. If given the choice of colors I would pick (oh my) I am drawn to the more bohemian range. I like the darker, richer, wilder colors, but I like the frenchy aged looked too. Just need more paint. Come on sweeps for $100 Momma needs a new can of paint.
I find color inspiration from nature. I like greens, blues and browns so I usually go for these types of shades.
tweet
https://twitter.com/kellysaver/status/329675377209380864
I read decorating magazines and take home many color swatches.
[email protected]
sweepstake entry….I love Sherwin Williams colors…..they are better than other brands….
I find color inspiration by thinking of what colors I mainly like, then getting paint chips at the store that are colors that would pop against the neutrals I already have. LOVE that console; so beautiful!
Almost every room in my house needs to be painted. I am looking at magazines and all over the internet for inspiration.
I usually find inspiration from home decorating magazines.
Thanks so much.
I get inspiration by looking outside or by watching shows on TV
That is such a fabulous color!! I am wanting to paint a dresser that I have had for 7 years and it is such an unfortunate color yellow. This new Sherwin-Williams program is amazing! Can’t wait to try it out to find the perfect color for my poor dresser.
My inspiration usually comes from a specific inspiration piece. Art, fabric or a maybe a special pillow!
I get a lot of ideas from Pinterest!
Tweeted here: https://twitter.com/DistractedDebra/status/329792307886948353
I use Pinterest, I ask friends, and sometimes I will look at magazines and catalogues.
I find fabrics I like and go from there.
Can’t wait to use the color visualizer!
This is a fantastic color tool! I can’t wait to give it a try!
My husband and I are renovating a 1840s rowhome in Baltimore so our inspiration stems from a balance between maintaining the unique history of the home and bringing in new life into the home. We use This Old House, Pinterest, Houzz, your site, and our friends and family for guidance and ideas!
This is a good way to choose a color-will try this.I like whites, ivory, khaki, tans and beige colors.But am really beginning to like the pale blue and turqoise from the beach cottage look.
Would love to win. My paint brush is ready for new projects using Sherwin Williams. paint?
I look at magazines for inspiration, but the colors are not always true.
I use pinterest and country home type mags to find inspiration. I like a lot of blues, greys, and whites at home.
Whenever I see an article/pictures with colors or designs I like, I tear them out of the magazine and I have a folder of “dream” ideas where I stash them…then I can go through them and get ideas when needed.
Love this piece! It’s gorgeous! And that paint tool is so handy! I used it right before I painted our dining room and I have no been so happy with a color in a long time!
For my color inspiraton, I look through home decor magazines.
Love that Sherwin Williams tool. I get my inspiration from things I see on Pinterest.
That tool is super useful!
i used the rug and artwork for color to add to the room
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/331053983953190913
That is so cool! Thank you for sharing you awesome discovery.
I love the tools that Sherwin Williams has to offer. I use Chip It and the Color Visualizer. LOVE the blue you chose for the t.v. console…like you and the Nanny, I’m more of a lady in red.
I flip through home magazines!
Look through magazines to things that catch my eye
SW is definitely my go-to paint. I use their paint chip “fan” to narrow my choices then always put 2 coats of sample paint on poster board so I can live with my choice on a couple of walls before committing. No fail process.
I like to take tours of homes that are for sale.
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Tweet: https://twitter.com/OneFrugalGirl/status/331784339589300224
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Neat! Usually I find ideas for colors online, or I’ll see something in town that catches my eye. 🙂
I love surfing Pinterest for ideas on paint colors!
Absolutely loving the Intense Teal color! When do we get to see the sunroom???? Thanks for sharing this paint picking technique. This will save me a lot of standing and staring…really!
Doing an Internet GALLERY search of “Sunsets” & whatnot!!!
+ my tweet! https://twitter.com/kytah00/status/332350098686214144
I actually love using the clothing that I own to inspire colors for my furniture. It’s easy to compare and I have tons of different colors and shades in my wardrobe, so it helps get me visualizing! Thanks so much for this giveaway! I have lots of paint that I need to purchase as well as some quality brushes!
I find color inspiration through browsing Pinterest.
https://twitter.com/CarlyHobart/status/332407706814140416
I get color inspiration from the outdoor places that I love….forest, beach
I usually find my inspiration from a piece of artwork that I want to hang in the room. Or if it’s my bedroom I find my inspiration in a comforter I love. And then I match the paint to that.
I find inspiration in my favorite decor accessories.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
tweet–https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/333389460878290944
From magazines, most of the time.
dolniaks at consolidated dot net
https://twitter.com/smilekisses/status/333408837468037121
We have an Eastlake Victorian so it’s easy to find color inspiration from other Victorian homes. Thanks for offering this.
ky2here at msn dot com.
https://twitter.com/ky2here1/status/333553237426851840
I keep track of colors I like by pinning pics ofpainted furniture on pinterest!
I get inspiration from decorator magazines, and from things I see when I’m out shopping.
https://twitter.com/mgoss123/status/334733175299395585
When I have a project on my mind I look everywhere; blogs, Tv shows, flower shops, books until the right color goes zing!
and a tweet: https://twitter.com/AnnaZed/status/334733868806598657
I usually look at friend’s home that i love to find color inspiration for my home projects
amy [at] utry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/334833953179574272
amy [at] utry [dot] it
I look for timeless colors that flow well with the rest of the home… but with a great color pop for fun!
I look through magazines to find color schemes that I might like.
i like to look at blogs and watch hgtv
i look on pinterest!
https://twitter.com/DesMoinesDealin/status/335585781525663744
That is so cool to do with that furniture! I look at decor magazines mostly.
i love getting ideas of the homedepot website
I have a lot of crafty/DIY blogger friends so I love looking at the projects they are working on for inspiration
I find color inspiration by browsing Pinterest.
https://twitter.com/CarlyHobart/status/335652006389764096
I like to look at color samples on different web sites.
I find inspiration through my husband
I find the colors of fruits and veggies so gorgeous! they are so clear and vibrant and glossy. Love using them in my home.
I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/335782052702085120
Sweepstakes: I only buy my paints at SW! The guys in the store know me by name! LOL! Last year I went nuts with Turquoise inside and outside of my home!! I will be looking into uploading pictures and using their tool to see what to repaint my living room and the master bedroom!!! Thanks for the try!!!
I am inspired by Bohemian designs with a touch of Gothic darkness 😉
I look at magazines and browse the internet for ideas.
I am inspired by colors that I see in nature!
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
Inspiration comes from some unusual places. I visited a friend in her new rental home and loved the vintage wallpaper. Several years later I found a similar wallpaper and bought several rolls but didn’t have just the right room for it. I carried it with me during several moves and when I got to my current home I found the perfect place for it. My kitchen now has my wonderful wallpaper and the paint color is straight from that design.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/336135323430031361
Nature, magazines, internet
I find color inspiration by looking through magazines and taking notes on things i like
I find inspiration through magazines.
I like to look online for color inspiration and also inspiring are colors found in nature!
tweet
https://twitter.com/abrightbabe/status/336255180846804992
I always find great inspirations from the DIY channel and magazines
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I use blogs and pinterest!
These days, I get my color inspiration from blogs mostly 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!
I try to match them to something i have seen before or clothing.
I find color inspiration in decorating books.
I would have totally fought you for that piece. What an awesome find! And the bright blue is just perfect for it.