So you’re ready to design your dream home or perhaps the empty walls in your living room are driving you insane. You are ready for a change, but you’re not sure where to start. Perhaps you saw an accent wall on Instagram or Pinterest that you really like, but you’re not sure if it’s really you.

Color expresses messages, sparks interest, and generates emotions, so whether you’re conceptualizing a home or just updating your wall paint, choosing a color palette that represents you, is one of the most important parts in the design process.

Today we are showing you how to create a cohesive color story that flows naturally throughout your home!

Find what inspires you.

Inspiration is everywhere around us! Sometimes what sparks an idea is an every day item like a magazine or something we see out in nature. We love finding inspiration in the landscape around us and we often borrow color palettes that are naturally colorful.

Online is a great place to look for Inspiration. Blogs, magazines, social media, and Pinterest are our go-to places when we are looking for a muse for our next project. Whichever way you find your inspiration, make sure you have multiple sources and plenty of options to go off of!

Use a color picker app.

If you’re designing with a photo, using a color picker app is an easy way to find color inspiration. Take your design and sample colors from the photo to match.

Create a mood board.

Once you found your inspiration, don’t be afraid to start pulling everything together into one place. That place can be a Pinterest board, a folder in your phone, or a physical board with textiles, objects, paint swatches, or anything else you love. Being able to see everything in one place will not only help you visualize your idea but also create a common theme. That theme can be a common color, texture, or maybe a pattern.

Pick Your Color Swatch.

Once you have a general idea of what your desired mood is, go ahead and start pulling actual color swatches. For example, get a physical Sherwin Williams paint sample to give you a better representation of your desired color. A paint we use in our next project can sometimes come from a flower bouquet or another natural element.

Don’t be afraid to start over.

Finding the right color story that is as unique as you can be difficult and often times we end up saving things we love, but doesn’t really fit our story. After all, design is a process of elimination and finding the right color is no different. It’s okay to take a step back, and take away anything that does not align with your commitment level. For example, black is a popular accent wall color but it is also high commitment. Perhaps a darker grey is something more on par with your comfort zone.

Put you ideas to work.

This is the last step of the process, now it's time to make your color come alive! Depending on what you're creating, this may look like pulling decor pieces, pillows, art, or choosing paint colors! 

You should have the foundations for a beautiful color palette that represents you, and what you want to tell the world! Remember, letting creativity guide your process always lends the best results.