When renovating our house, I remember my wife bursting into tears while painting the laundry sky blue because she was so disappointed with the colour we’d chosen. Before I knew it, we were back at the paint shop looking at new colours for the laundry.

Choosing the correct paint shade for the area you’re painting is important as it can make or break the colour scheme of your home. Once you’ve chosen the colour, you also need to consider the type of paint you’ll need.

Are you painting the exterior of your house? Maybe you’re giving the shed a lick of paint or renovating the bathroom. With the help of Wattyl, we’ve come up with a couple of tips for choosing the correct paint for the job.

Inside or out

Want to paint a fence or the eaves on your house and have an old tin of interior paint you’re thinking of using for the job.

Put that brush down and close the lid because as the name suggests interior paint is specifically made for the inside of your home.

You’ll want to visit your local Wattyl Paint Centre and purchase some exterior paint instead.

Exterior paint is made to survive exposure to moisture and a wide variety of weather extremes. Wattyl Solagard is a tough and durable exterior paint which offers protection for your home in any weather or climate.

Solagard’s Total Protection Technology is designed to keep your home looking better for longer, so you’re the talk of the street. The 25-year warranty against flaking, peeling, or blistering gives you peace of mind.

Interior paint on the other hand, is formulated to withstand scratches and scrapes from people brushing by it. You’ll also notice that it can be scrubbed and is stain resistant, so when those children take to the walls with a crayon, you’re able to give it a clean to remove the stain.

There are also paints out there, like the Wattyl I.D Advanced range, that are designed to resist the growth of mould and fungus and offer cleanability and stain resistance. Say goodbye to marks on walls and hiding the Textas.

Choosing the correct colour

Now for the fun bit – choosing the best colour for your space. There are a few things to consider before you pick a shade.

Interior

When painting inside you need to check where the natural light is coming from in the space you’re looking to transform. Here’s a quick guide on how to match the colour with the light direction.

• • North-facing rooms receive the most sunlight throughout the day which makes the room brighter so it’s best to consider cool and muted colours to work with the light.
  • South-facing rooms receive only small amounts of light and can be dark and cold, even in summer. This can make the room look dull and grey. Warm neutrals can help lighten the room and bring a sense of cosiness and comfort.
  • East-facing rooms only get morning sun, so choosing a colour will depend on when you’re using the room.
  • West-facing rooms receive warm afternoon sun so consider using cooler colours and darker tones.

To make a room larger or widen a corridor, use subtle neutral colours on all surfaces to reflect light. You should also be cautious to limit your colour selection to white alone.
This can create a cold and unfriendly mood. Instead, try to find a selection of whites and neutral hues that have an undertone of the same colour.

Once you’ve decided on a few colours, buy a sample pot of each and try them in the space you’re looking to paint. Colour appearance can vary significantly under different lighting.

Exterior

Giving the exterior of your house a fresh coat of paint can refresh and modernise its appearance. Like painting the interior sections of your house, it’s important to choose the best colours to maximise the impact of the paint.

Start by looking for inspiration. Take photographs of homes you like, look online for ideas and keep a record of colour schemes you think will work for your home. It’s also a good idea to consider the colours you’ve used in the inside of your home if you want to have the scheme flow through from the exterior to the interior.

When choosing colours, you also need to think about how it will match with fixed features like the roof, brickwork and garage doors.

Once you’ve shortlisted a few colours, paint a test patch on the wall to see how they look at different times of the day to ensure it’s the shade that you want.