Home colour ideas: Guide to choose wall colours for each room

By
Rajat Piplewar

Home Colour Ideas to Take Inspiration From

Choosing the perfect house colour or wall colour scheme for your home is not just difficult but equally taxing. As experts say, the wall colour should match or bring out the personality of not just the house but its residents, as well. While a number of people prefer choosing wall colours as per Vastu, you can also select the house colour scheme based on your liking, the room’s function, and existing furniture. Here is everything you need to know about wall colours, trending wall colour ideas in 2023, and different house painting colour combinations that you can choose from.

Home Colour Selection: Which Are the Best Colours for Home for 2023?

Best colours for home for 2023 are ones which are pastel shades or earthy colours. So, they are mostly tones of grey, beige, brown, pale white, and a hint of rust red. These are colours for home that go with the furniture and fixtures of the house and which complement each other.

Colour for Home 2023 Selection Process

Stick to Your Favourite Colours

While going about selecting colour for home, think about your favourites and make it the personal guide to choosing colours. For example, simply open your wardrobe and understand your subconscious preference and choose the colour for home that your mind picks.

Use Existing Furniture to Select an Accent Colour

Choose a quieter shade or complementary shade as colour for home, to accentuate your furniture while hunting for home colour ideas. For instance, if you have a yellow lamp, your paint selection for home can include a very light shade of lemon in the backdrop, to let the lamp take more dominance.

Consider the Room’s Size

If you want to make your room look bigger, opt for lighter shades but if you want the room to look cozy, choose a darker shade when you are doing the paint selection for home.

Keep the Overall Colour Theme in Mind

Take the help of a colour shade card when deciding colours for different parts of your home. There should be a proper flow from room to room when you are choosing colours for home.

Take Note of the Lighting

Keep in mind the kind of lighting your room will have before you choose a colour for home. While natural light shows the true colour of the paint, incandescent lights bring up the warmer tones, while fluorescent lights highlight sharp blue tones.

Room Function and Mood Setting

Consider both these factors before choosing colours for home. If you want the room to be a high-energy area, use warm tones but if you want to use the space for relaxing, consider cool colours such as blue and grey. Also, you can choose different levels of sheen according to how the room will be used.

Trial and Error Method

Use different paint samples in different parts of the wall to pick the best colour for the house. This method never fails as you can see how different wall paints will look like.

Home Colour Ideas: Wall Colours

How Do I Choose Colours That Flow from Room to Room?

In case your house has rooms designed such that there are no partitions or doors and they flow seamlessly, a good idea will be to have one central colour and all other adjacent rooms painted in the same colour but with shades that may range to the lighter side or the darker side. This will give the entire space a monochromatic chic look.

What Is an Evergreen Wall Colour for Home?

Cream or shades of cream like beige, mushroom, etc., are evergreen wall colours for home.

Home Colour Ideas for Living Room Walls

The living room is one of the most important areas of a home, as one tends to spend most of the time here, with family members. It is also the place where homeowners entertain guests. When looking for colour for home, you can pick earthy or neutral shades for this area, including aqua mint, French vanilla, emerald green, or white. If you want regular colours for your home, you can pick grey, blue, or beige. Black is an unusual colour for home - the living room but you can use it if you want to add a non-obvious element to your living room.

Home Colour Ideas for Dining Room Walls

If you want your dining room to look compact and cozy but full of energy, you can pick warmer tones of red and yellow. If you want to make the room look bigger, opt for brighter tones of green, yellow, or purple colours for the dining room and perk it up with drapes in complementing colours. You can also use metallic wallpaper to add some glam to the room.

Home Colour Ideas for Home Office Walls

When going about colour selection for home, shades of grey are excellent wall colours for designing a home office. Darker shades work best for accent walls while deep blue provides a great backdrop for computers. Alternately, as part of colour selection for home, you can pick earthy green shades, coral or peach, or bright colours like yellow that have positive psychological effects and help boost creativity.

Home Colour Ideas for the Study Room Walls

While red is the perfect colour for improving focus and concentration, you can also experiment with different shades of green, deep greys, or silver, as these shades are said to improve creativity and help in focusing. Orange and yellow are other preferred colours for the study room, as it increases alertness and makes for excellent choices when it comes to colour selection for home.

Home Colour Ideas for Children’s Rooms Walls

Pale pink, baby blue, or softer tones of yellow, are the most popular colours for children’s rooms. Since these are soothing hues, they will have a calming effect on your child. Also, if you want to pick some unusual colours for the room, make sure you select a brighter shade, to add some enthusiasm.

Home Colour Ideas for Guest Room Walls

You can pick a combination of colours for decorating your guest room, such as eggshell hues, shades of lemon, creamy neutrals, or sea colours. Additionally, colour for home like chocolate brown colour is a perfect selection for your guest room, to make it look cozy and comfortable. You can complement it with solid wood furniture, to make your guests feel welcome.

What Are the Best Colours for Bedroom Walls in India?

Best colours for bedroom walls in India are lavender, soft green, pale blue, soft grey, and deep blue. You can also pick lighter tones of these colours or alternatively, you can select cream or white colour for your bedroom. Orange wall paint colour with stencils and matching decor will give a nice look to your bedroom.

Home Colour Selection: Wall Colour Ideas for the Kitchen

Ideal colours for the kitchen during colour selection for home include white, grey, yellow, and green. These colours will make your kitchen appear bright. Warmer tones stimulate the appetite. So, you can select hot chilli or orange colour, to make your kitchen a foodie’s haven.

Home Colour Selection: Wall Colour Ideas for the Bathroom

Use any cooler tones of blue, green, or creamy white, to paint your bathroom into a relaxing zone of your home. Grey and pure white are other options if you do not want to experiment with your colour selection for home. Pistachio is another modern colour tone that you can select, to convert your bathroom into a soothing space.

Home Colour Selection: Wall Colour Ideas for Puja Room

Paint the puja room to make it a peaceful and calming space while choosing colours for home. Use white, lavender, beige, light yellow, or pale green colours for the wall. Opt for dual colours (a bright colour and a pale colour) in the puja room. For this, you can add a touch of gold or red with cream colour on the wall. Red and gold are considered auspicious for the puja room.

What Should Be the Entry Foyer Colour for Home Wall?

The entry foyer colour of a home should be warm and reflect the theme of the house. It should ideally match the colour of the main door. Using monochromatic colours (shades from the same colour family) creates a soothing effect. Lighter colour paint on the walls makes the entryway area seem open and airy. If you are using a bold colour, ensure that the selected colour complements the connected living room. Consider rich jewel tones like red, blue, and emerald green, to impress the guests when they step in. For soothing vibes, choose whites, delicate greys, earthy brown, pearl pinks, etc., as neutral colours have a welcoming impact.

Home Colour Selection: 5th Wall or Ceiling Colour Ideas

Opt for soothing shades for the ceiling to complement the rest of the walls. White, off-white, and cream are the most popular paint colours for the ceilings. However, for a dramatic impact, one can paint it yellow, blue, or even in textured paint. For a touch of opulence, one can paint the ceiling with metallic hues of gold. Painting the ceiling in a different colour from the walls can make a bold statement and add a touch of glam. One can also add to the beauty of the ceiling by combining paint and POP with interesting light fixtures. The ceiling can be done up in an accent colour. A dark colour can visually lower the height of a room, while a light colour can give the impression of a high ceiling. For a cohesive look, paint the ceiling and walls in the same colour using a hue one shade darker than the walls.

Home Colour Selection: Wall Colour Ideas for the Exterior

Choosing a perfect colour for the exteriors is equally difficult. The exterior look defines the personality of not just the house but also its occupants. Therefore, it has to be chosen, keeping in mind the overall vibe of the house. If the key theme is minimalism, you might want to keep the exterior simple and classy. You can opt for glass panels, along with brick tiles in different colours. Other than this, the latest trend is to use pop colours with a combination of deep blue or cream. While white is one of the most popular options to choose from, its maintenance and frequent white-washing will be an added expenditure for you.

Apart from choosing an apt colour, the exterior paint should also ensure that the structure is not impacted by water damage over a period of time. One can go in for emulsion paints as they are resistant to fungi and also cracking in sunlight and do not fade easily. Even cement paint is good for exposed walls of patios, balconies, and garages, as it stops the penetration of water into the walls and prevents dust from accumulating on the walls. Only a damage-free exterior wall can prevent leakage, peeling of paint, or dampness from making its way inside the home.

What Colour Should Boundary Walls Be?

Lighter shades like white, off-white, beige, mushroom colour, etc. are often chosen for boundary walls as they are predominantly earthy tones and look grand in the exterior settings of the house.

Home Colour Ideas: Mistakes to Avoid While Choosing Paint Colour

Do Not Be in Hurry to Select the Paint

Invest time when you do your home and don’t be in a hurry to select the paint for the walls. Decide on the furniture, the décor items to be placed, the theme of the house, etc., and then choose the colours accordingly. Once you choose, test paint it on the wall and let it dry for at least a day so that you will understand the look it will give and based on it do the final decision.

Do Not Be Scared to Experiment with Your Favourite Colours

Test the colour you like on the wall and if not convinced then you can work on it by making it shade dark or light instead of completely dismissing the use of it. The same goes with the use of textures.

Use of Too Little Paint on the Walls of Your House

While doing up your house, follow the theory of 60-30-10 where around 60% of colour in the room should be from walls, 30% from the furniture and upholstery, and 10% from the art pieces and décor work. This gives you an idea of the amount of paint that should be used for a good look.

Use of Too Much Paint on the Walls of Your House

The same rule of 60-30-10 should again be implemented so that you don’t go overboard with colours. If your furniture has deep colours, the wall should be neutral and not strong else the mismatch will make the house overwhelming.

Interior House Paint Colours

Neutral shades other than the traditional white and greys, are trending this year. These include wall paint colours such as monochrome shades of lilac, browns, and dark shades like navy. Additionally, green hues that bring the elements of nature to any space, continue to inspire homeowners. Also, those looking to add a pop of colour or design accent walls for their homes, can pick shades like muted yellow that go well with blues and greens as excellent bedroom colour combinations.

Two Colour Combinations Trending in 2023

Indigo and white, brown and cream, light blue with vibrant yellow, peach and white, grey and orange, purple and red, etc.

What Is the Best Colour in House for 2023?

Green and shades of green are the best colours for all parts of the house and will be extensively used in 2023.

Creative Ways to Paint Your Wall

If you are bored of simple, blank walls, you can make it look more creative by applying some simple techniques. Here are a few patterns to make your walls look trendy:

Honeycomb Pattern

There is no doubt that randomly placed hexagon patterns create a fun and funky vibe to the room. You can use colours that complement the room’s interiors and use brighter shades for kids’ bedrooms and toned-down shades for the living room or dining area.

Gingham Style

The gingham-inspired wall feature gives the room a rustic charm and idyllic vibe. The key to a successful gingham wall feature is in carefully studying the shades, planning the painting, and keeping the lines straight.

Orange Peel

Apart from orange, you can take your favourite colour and create several shades of it by gradually adding white paint. It is an easy and fun way to add a pop of colour to an otherwise gloomy corner.

Vivid Stripes

Painting the walls in vertical or horizontal stripes can lend a spacious look to any room. Prepare for the project by measuring, marking, and taping the walls.

Wall Texture Paints

Texture paint, unlike flat paint, gives a slightly rough and gritty look to your walls. This adds a rustic appeal to walls, which is far better as compared to wallpapers or any type of paint finish. To get this look, you can opt for simple paint swatches for a focal wall featuring beautiful textures. Since textured focal walls can add shadow, depth, and structure to a bedroom in a beautiful and unique way, people prefer decorating the focal wall – usually the one behind the headrest – with textured paint.

Home Colour Selection: Types of Wall Texture Paints

Indianness Texture

In addition to going for handicrafts of various states and doing up your house in an ethnic way, you can now bring Indianness - be it fabrics, weaves, or objects to your walls using the texture paint.

Mosaic Texture

This texture gives a tile-like appearance. It is achieved, using combing texture application techniques, where comb-like instruments or stencils are used to create patterns such as zigzags, checkerboards, wavy lines, or swirls in wet paint, to attain the desired effect.

Rustic Texture

To give your bedroom a cool, raw feel, dip a rag into the paint, squeeze out the excess paint and roll it along the wall for a gorgeous, uneven look.

Brick Texture

A brick texture can be created by applying a brick-like pattern over the focal wall, using a stencil roller, which can be dipped in thick paint and then rolled across the wall.

Marble Texture

To give a Victorian look to your walls, opt for marble texture. This can be attained by the process of smooshing, where a glaze is applied to a wall, on which a plastic sheet is then placed, before it dries.

Faux Animal Skin

You can opt for faux crocodile wallpaper, to add texture to an otherwise clean, classic space. Dark colours with a little gloss over them, blend well with open spaces.

Neutral Glasscloth

Such wallpapers bring out warmth, while also introducing texture, as it is made from natural fibers. Ideal for cozy settings, this is a must-have for a small living room.

Things to Know About Wall Texture Paint

Usually, there are four types of texture paints: tactile, natural, artificial, and visual. When combined with each other, these give more versatile options. It is important to scrub the walls with sandpaper before applying the texture paints, to get the optimum look. Applying primer is also important, to get the required finish. The textures can be easily made with simple paint strokes, rollers, and stencils, or with materials like stone and wood. Before applying wall paint textures, it is mandatory to scrape the walls, to remove any glue, debris, and other solid particles. Although there are several ways to scrape the walls, the easiest way is to use a sugar soap solution. You can mix some amount of sugar soap with water and rub it over the walls a couple of times to end up getting a clean wall.

Wall Painting Ideas for Your Home

Another way of decorating your walls is to adorn them with some beautiful wall paintings that can go with the overall theme of the space. You can choose these wall paintings as per your budget, as a number of affordable wall paintings are now available online. You can also opt for some known artist’s work if you think it can go well with your décor theme. Check out some of the most common types of wall paintings that can go with all kinds of décor:

Should You Buy Vertical Paintings?

Currently, online marketplaces are flooded with vertical painting options. These are trending due to the range of options available, in terms of design and quality of work. These vertical paintings are available in various themes, such as natural scenery, romance, religion, flowers, famous towers/buildings, wildlife, etc. However, before buying any type of vertical painting online, make sure you decide the size you want to cover on your wall. If you are confused about the size, you can choose the standard size which is easily available online.

Home Colour Selection: Types of Paints and Finish for Home Wall Colours

Type of Wall PaintAdvantagesDisadvantages
Water-based paintsEasy to use, doesn’t require a pre-treatment, quick drying, can be used on almost all surfaces, doesn’t fade in sunlight.Don’t last long, doesn’t give a rich look, can peel from dampened walls.
Oil-based paintsGives a glossy look, good for high-moisture rooms, easy ‘leveling’, durable finish.Takes too long to dry, Very hard to wash and has a messy process.
Type of Wall Paint FinishFeatures
Matte paintLeast reflective sheen, velvety texture, hides imperfections in walls and offers great depth of colour.
Eggshell and satin paintImproved durability, somewhat reflective and easy to clean.
Semi-gloss and gloss paintMost reflective, ideal for accent walls, highly durable and easiest to clean.

Once you have decided the colours for home, you have to be sure which paint is best for your home. The type of paint you choose is as important as the colour and can have a major impact on the final look of your room, the quality of the paint job, and the overall vibe that you want to have. To decide the type of paint, it is important to consider factors such as how big the room is, where the room is located, and what kind

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