I don’t know about you, but when I walk into a home improvement store, I’m drawn to the color samples much like a moth to a light. It’s so easy to get caught up in beautiful colors. Before you do that though, make sure you know everything else in your space. In comparison to paint colors, most finishes have a very limited number of color selections. Think about upholstery, carpet, hardwoods, etc.  You will be doing yourself a huge favor if you resist the temptation of selecting paint first. I suggest you start with items that are the most limited or defined in options and finish with paint.

If you’re working on the interior of your new home Atlanta, your steps should go something like this:

• Upholstery
• Flooring
• Accent furniture
• Paint

If you’re working on an exterior, try to stick with this order:

• Brick
• Stone
• Stain color
• Paint color

Since PPG Porter Paints offers more than 2,000 paint colors, you are sure to find one that is well suited for the other finishes in your home. There are also some incredible tools available to help you find colors to match other finishes. I absolutely love using the Voice of Color app (available for any iPhone or android). It allows you to take a picture of something such as fabric, and it will pull all of the matching paint colors from the photo. Then, you can actually order 8×12 samples of those paint colors right from the app at no charge! Search “Voice of Color” in the app store. You will love using it!

Once you start selecting paint colors, make sure you are considering all surfaces. Did you know that the two most reflective surfaces in a space are the ceiling and the floor? That means your ceiling color can have a huge impact on the feel of a room. If you walk into a space and you like it…something is unique about it, but you can’t quite put your finger on it, take a look at the ceiling. I bet it’s not painted “ceiling white!”

Just remember, paint has the greatest variety in options, so make sure you’re always saving the best for last!