So, you want a nice, fresh color for your space, maybe brighten things up with clean white walls. You search through hundreds of paint chips and finally land on what you think is the perfect bright white. You spend hours painting or hundreds of dollars using professional painters, and as you step back to enjoy your new space, it's not what you saw on the paint chip. The sheen is too glossy and shows every bump in your walls or the color is making your existing cabinetry look old and dingey. How do you avoid having to go through this process all over again? I picked the mind of one of our In-House Designers, Stephanie Dickens, to help you find the right color the first time around.

Samples
There are many things to consider when choosing a new color: trim work, cabinetry, tile, and lighting to name a few. Stephanie recommends finding paint and purchasing a sample in the color you like as well as lighter and darker shades. Paint the samples in multiple places around the room, making sure to test in areas where you can see it by itself and especially places where walls meet cabinetry, trim or tiles. Be sure to include wall space that receives direct natural light and walls that remain dark. Once your walls are covered in samples, look at the colors at all points during the day. Does the morning light make it too bright? Does the afternoon shade make the color you initially chose too dark? When looking at the paint samples immediately next to your cabinetry, tile, and trim, does it bring out an undertone you didn't realize was there? Samples are your best friend in the paint world. Don't be afraid to cover your walls with sample squares until you find the one.

Sheens
No, not Charlie, I'm talking about the finishes that can make or break your paint! There are so many to choose from High-gloss, semi-gloss, satin, eggshell, flat. How do you choose what works best for you?

For walls, Stephanie recommends flat, or matte, finishes which hide most imperfections and give a nice soft appearance. Due to high light reflectivity, the glossier the sheen, the more apparent the small bumps or holes in your walls. While flat paints have a reputation for being difficult to clean when scuffed, Stephanie says the technology used to make paint has evolved and it's no longer a concern among design professionals. Quality paint will be easy to clean in any sheen.

Undertones
Undertones are extremely important when choosing your paint color. Stephanie breaks it down to its simplest form of cool and warm. Cool tones include icy blues and bright whites. Warm tones should make you think of earthy and cozy atmospheres. Choose a paint that contains the same undertone as your existing design, concentrating on cabinetry and tile. Stephanie recommends that once you decide the tone of your home, be it warm or cool, stay with those colors throughout to create cohesive spaces and natural transitions. Accents to add pops of color, like throw pillows, should also remain in the same tone palate. For instance, a beautiful neutral gray with green undertones would look stunning with vibrant emerald accents.

Stephanie's final word of wisdom is that design is meant to be fluid, there's no clear-cut formula for choosing the right paint. While design professionals are always available to assist with creating the perfect space, I believe it's ultimately personal preferences that will make your house perfect for your family.