Choosing the perfect paint color can be daunting, but we’re here to help

There are a lot of elements to consider when designing a home. But the one thing that ties them all together? The paint choice. As one of the more essential building blocks of interior and exterior projects alike, choosing the best quality paint for a timeless design not only ensures your project will stand out, but it also sets the stage for all the other layers of your design. Cape Cod professionals have some advice.

“Painting is easy. Choosing colors is the hard part,” jokes Paul Fox of Harwich Paint and Decorating Center. Harwich Paint carries the full collection of Benjamin Moore paint. “We’re what’s known as a ‘Store of the Future,’” he explains. “We’re set up with all of the latest colors, designs and product offerings so that a customer can come in and look through their options. We also have the ability to adjust all the colors we carry because we know which shades go into the formula and how they influence the tone.” That extra step is where homeowners can truly achieve a custom finish that is solely their own.

Fox explains that Benjamin Moore paint is popular because it’s easy to work with and does what it’s designed to do as far as coverage and aesthetic. “As a contractor, that was the paint line I used over 20 years ago,” he says.

Fox’s advice when choosing a color? Be bold. “A lot of customers are intimidated and afraid to go with a risky color. We used to say things like, ‘Don’t put a dark color in a small room,’ but a lot of these norms have changed. Our advice is to go for it.” Benjamin Moore’s color of the year, a deep burgundy named “Caliente,” certainly embodies this daring attitude.

Anthi Frangiadis, owner of The Drawing Room in Marion, is a stockist for Farrow & Ball’s paint line. “Farrow & Ball pride themselves on their quality ingredients and craftsmanship. It fits well with what I’m doing in my showroom as far as featuring fine craftsmanship through furniture and art,” says Frangiadis, who explains that many of the colors in this line are historically inspired. In the early ’90s, Farrow & Ball took on a focus of restoring older properties while being sympathetic to the colors that would have suited the original era of a building, and their dedication to thoughtful color options has held steadfast to this day.

Farrow & Ball

As Frangiadis puts it, “All paints are made from the same five ingredients. It’s what each manufacturer does with those five ingredients that sets them apart.”

Not to be overlooked, wallpaper is making a comeback in the design world, and Farrow and Ball has acknowledged this trend by block-printing wallpaper, using the same 132 colors offered in their paint line. “While most wallpaper is screen printed, they actually use their paint on paper so the result is a very textured look,” explains Frangiadis.

Emmett Fiore from Fine Paints of Europe says that Fine Paints has recently released a 5 liter can of their premium wall paint, Eurolux Flat, which has inspired a Color Concierge store display. “Color Concierge is a new palette of 120 perfectly balanced shades that come to life on your walls. We selected these colors to give you stress-free choices,” he says. “As a collection, these harmonious hues flow seamlessly from room to room and pair with a wide variety of other colors. Tried and true, our core collection offers elegance, serenity, mystery, and a touch of whimsy.”

According to Fiore, “There’s really no better way to view a color than in the environment it is intended to be used. We recommend purchasing a half-liter of Eurolux Flat and assessing the colors on site. It’s kind of like a color dating service—you pick up the vibe pretty fast once you’re out on a date.”

Fine Paints of Europe offers colors known for their luminosity, quality and longevity. They even offer a Nantucket-themed color palette—available at Anchor Ace Hardware in Sandwich and South Yarmouth and Marine Home Center on Nantucket—created to accent and complement the historic nature of the island.

“Paint color invigorates an overall design concept,” says Fiore. “Take, for example, Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa.’ It’s perfect as is, it neither lacks nor needs anything. The same can be said of any good design work, and the correct use of color is part of the sum total.”

Mid-Cape Home Centers carries Pittsburgh Paints, a quality brand known as “The Voice of Color.” Mid-Cape Paint Specialist Bobby Bianco, whose favorite color in the line is Mid-Cape Blue, explains that Pittsburgh Paints are available only from independent, locally owned retailers and has a long history of expertise to draw from.

Sherwin-Williams

“At Mid-Cape, we have a color work station with a touch screen television that allows customers to paint both inside and outside their home by scanning our color cards in any given room or on any exterior. You can even email the color card and project straight to your own devices,” explains Bianco.

Everything about Mid-Cape’s paint offerings is designed to help customers make a stress-free paint choice. “My advice to buyers is to take sample cards home and make their choice in the light of a room or exterior project because light plays a big role,” says Bianco.

“Color can drive the rest of the room’s design, such as which throw pillows to buy or art to hang. It can affect the mood of a room to be relaxing or energizing,” says Katie Scott of Sherwin-Williams. “It’s a personal choice, and something you’ll be looking at every day, so it’s important to choose what you love.”

Sherwin-Williams 2018 Color of the Year is Oceanside SW 6496. “It’s a jewel-toned mix of blue and green that evokes wanderlust and makes a lively statement in any room of the house,” comments Scott. Sherwin-Williams has also developed three new color palettes that draw inspiration from not only home design, but also trends in popular culture, fashion design, art and other fields.

“The three palettes are Sincerity, which takes a less-is-more approach; Unity, which speaks to a sense of community through travel; and Connectivity, which reflects the ever-growing presence of technology in our lives,” explains Scott. Sherwin-Williams offers in-home color consultations, and to see different saturations of these shades, they have a color wall that you can view in stores as well as a ColorSnap® app that lets you view different shades right from your phone.

“Think about what the room is being used for,” advises Scott. “For example, we spend so much time in our kitchens that it might be better to choose a more relaxing color for that space, but somewhere like the dining room, or a guest bathroom, that doesn’t get as much use is a great place to experiment.”

There are so many options when it comes to paint color, it can be difficult to make a decision. Frangiadis says, “Color selection is very important, not just for the design of a room but also the overall feel of a space. Paint color is the glue that keeps things together and sets the mood for a room.” The best advice? Choose what you like.