Avoid paint choice paralysis with our handy 8-step colour guide. 8-step the colour scheme 3Be room-appropriate Some colours suit some rooms. A bright turquoise feature wall with yellow polka dots may not be appropriate for a living room but it would be a lot of fun in a child’s room. An example from Resene colour consultant Becca Long: “A soft grey could look gorgeous in a modern master bedroom matched with crisp white linen, a textured white duvet and a thick and fluffy rug whereas a soft grey in a tiny, south-facing child’s room matched with a bold and colourful bedspread could leave the soft grey looking cold and weak in contrast." looks like it’s luxe for me Resene Tapa 1Get inspired Even if you already know what colours and styles you like, start a file of images that catch your eye. Don’t over-think it, just collect what appeals. When you have a decent-sized collection, look for common elements. You could also collect images of things you really dislike to help you avoid those in your new scheme. Visit your local Resene ColorShop and pick out the cards from the Multi- finish and Whites & Neutrals collections that you’re instinctively drawn to. Together with your collected images, you’ll soon see a pattern emerge. It might be that your choices are all light and casual, or all luxe and moody. You need to love it. There’s no point painting your interiors in jewel tones if no-one in the family likes jade, ruby or amethyst. The best homes are decorated with the owner’s personality in mind. A top tip from colour consultant Megan Harrison-Turner: “With all the decorating styles and choices available it’s easy to be overwhelmed and lose direction. A simple but effective way to stay on course is to choose a few words that describe how you want your home to be and feel. Emotive words, like welcoming, decadent or casual. Use five words maximum. Then with every decision and purchase, ask yourself if it fits the words. That way, you won’t end up with ‘orphans’ in your scheme.” 2Use a starting point A starting point can mean a few things. The first is to start with the most limited or most expensive material. So in a kitchen, choose the benchtop first, then the flooring. Finally, choose the Resene paint colour for the cabinetry and walls that best ties together all these elements. Few of us have the luxury of starting from scratch, so figure out what will be staying – the flooring, the sofa, the kitchen? Or outside, it may be the roof and joinery. Another kick-starter is to use a favourite painting, wallpaper, curtain fabric or a recently purchased cushion as the starting point for a scheme. You can already see that the colours work together so draw them out and use them on the walls and trims. Note the proportions the colours are used in, and mimic that in your colour scheme. You might use the style of your home or the setting, whether it’s rural, urban or coastal to influence your decorative choices. Megan’s tip: “An artwork or fabric is usually seen at a distance so rather than get microscopic about the colours within the piece, stand back for an impression of the colour.” Resene Spanish White Resene Quarter Tea Resene Coral Tree Resene Gelato 30 tips and tricks