The Basics of Color Selection

The color selections process can be a difficult one for both remodeler and client. Clients who have a difficult time settling on a color scheme can cause delays in the schedule.

Katherine Morris, Ph.D., of Inspired Settings, in Chevy Chase, Md., says that remodelers should get clients to think about color early on in the design process. Ask them to take their time to review floor selections, as the floor will set the stage for the room and is more expensive to change than wall paint.

Assess lighting — both natural and artificial — for the remodel because this will affect how color will look in the new space. Review colors at different times of day.

“Ask [clients] to give you magazine tears with coloring they like, or colors they like in a neighbor’s home,” Morris says. “Find out what certain colors mean to them once they select them. This brings a little more thought to the process and lowers the risk of them changing their mind.”

Consider setting up a consultation with an interior designer or feng shui practitioner. Morris suggests this checklist when drafting an agreement with an interior designer:

Establish your interior design budget.

Choose a fee structure, such as flat fee or an hourly fee up to a fixed amount.

Specify which spaces you want the designer to make paint selections for, and ask them to provide paint type and brand recommendations, as well as vendor information.