Choosing a Paint Color

Color is one of the major tools of Feng Shui because it brings emotion into the room, so choosing a paint color for your walls becomes an important Feng Shui consideration. Before you start a painting project, it's helpful to think about some of the Feng Shui aspects of the colors you are planning for each room. For example, “skin tone” colors are the Feng Shui recommendation for adult bedrooms to help you sleep soundly, so it’s best to avoid bedroom colors that are “unnatural,” like sallow yellow, bright white, or gray. Kitchens already have an abundance of the Feng Shui Fire Element, so it’s best to avoid adding too much of the color red in this room.

These are some other Feng Shui descriptions of color to keep in mind when choosing a paint color:

Red (Fire Element) is the color of emotion, so it’s a good color for a dining room to keep guests upbeat and talking.

Orange (Fire Element) encourages conversation, so it’s a good choice as an accent for a family room or gathering room.

Purple (Fire Element) is the color of spirituality and transformation, so it’s perfect for a home sanctuary, library, or meditation area.

Yellow (Earth Element) is an upbeat and happy color that brings energy and vitality so it’s especially appropriate in kitchens, guest rooms, and home offices.

White (Metal Element) is the color of focus, so it can be used for ceiling and trim, but avoid painting all walls in a room pure white because this color can make a room feel cold.

Green (Wood Element) is the color of growth and expansion, so it’s good for living rooms.

Blue (Water Element) is a relaxing color, so it can be used as an accent for a child’s room.

Once you have decided on a color family for a room, take a look at your furniture and decorations before you commit to a color and ask yourself how your things are going to look with the new color on the wall. Make sure you consider all of the colors already present in the room before choosing a paint color, including furniture, decorations, and artwork.

Next, check out color trends. Right now muted tones are popular, especially natural colors that reflect nature. Going with a current color means you’re more likely to find coordinating accessories to keep your rooms updated.

Once you decide which color you want for a room, try it out on a wall before you commit to it. It’s best to invest in a quart-sized can of paint in the color that you’re thinking of using before you buy a bigger can. Paint a small portion of your wall and check out the color in different lights throughout the day and night so you are sure it’s the right color. If you don’t want to buy a test can of paint, bring home several of those small paint chips, tape them together, then tack them up on your wall so at least you will have a larger color sample on your wall.

The Feng Shui and interior design rule of thumb for painting a room is to use a color on one, three, or four walls, but never on two. This is especially important if the color you choose is a bold or deep shade, since painting two walls could make the walls look like they are receding into the room. Keep in mind that color will affect how you perceive the size of your rooms. For example, dark colors tend to make a room look smaller, while light colors will open up the space. Paint finish is also an important consideration. Eggshell and satin finishes could accentuate any imperfections in the wall, so typically a matte or flat finish is the ideal finish for most rooms.

If you are painting your home as part of an upgrade or staging to help sell your home, the goal is for prospective buyers to be able to visualize their own furniture, art, and objects in the rooms. That’s why it’s best to avoid painting in either stark white, bold colors, or decorative effects, and instead stick with neutral colors.