Colorado Home Design: Choosing Paint Colors and Lighting
There are two design staples that can really transform a room—paint colors and lighting. Choosing paint colors and lighting that work are essential design elements in Colorado home design because we are called the Mile High City for one. Denver is one of the sunniest cities in America, with an average of 245 sunny days per year (above 205 days average!).
How to Approach Choosing Paint Colors
When it comes to choosing paint colors, you have to not only think about sunlight; you also have to take into consideration artificial lighting. When natural light streams through your windows, it displays the truest representation of colors. That's why colors often appear different on your walls than they did under the store's fluorescent bulbs. And that’s why we tell clients to keep paint samples up for a minimum of 3 days so you can see the paint color at different times of day. When choosing paint colors, you also want to consider the size and number of windows you have in your home, as well as their directional placement.
Southern-facing windows: If you have southern-facing windows, you’re getting the most intense natural light, which can be harsh on sunny afternoons. This means that pale colors and whites may seem faded or dull, while darker colors may appear bright.
North-facing windows: If you have north-facing windows, you’re getting indirect natural light, infusing the space with a warm, soft tone that remains more consistent throughout the day. This makes dark colors appear darker and light colors appear muted. (Tip! If you live in the southern hemisphere, the reverse is true: north windows provide more intense light, while southern windows provide indirect natural lighting.)
East-facing windows: If you have windows that face east, they may flood rooms with lots of natural light in the morning but appear darker later in the day. Dark colors will appear intense in the bright morning light and have a drab effect as the light fades.
West-facing windows: If you have windows that face west, rooms may appear darker in the morning but become bathed in rich yellow or golden tones in the late afternoon, so red or yellow colors may become overwhelming on bright, sunny days.
How Artificial Lighting Affects Paint Colors
To understand how artificial lighting affects paint colors when it comes from a bulb instead of the sun, it helps to know some basic light bulb terminology, such as:
Color temperature: Color temperature is measured in Kelvins and rates color tones. Typically, household bulbs are rated from 2,700K to 5,000K. Lower temperatures (2,700K to 3,000K) indicate warmer tones, like those of typical incandescent bulbs. Higher temperatures emit cool tones. A 5,000K bulb is comparable to natural daylight.
CRI (Color Rendering Index): The CRI is another means of rating bulbs. Bulbs typically rate from 50 to 100 on the index. A higher rating indicates that the bulb produces a more accurate representation of color when compared to natural light.
To determine how a room’s lighting will affect paint colors, you want to check the color temperature and CRI of your household bulbs. Typically, under bulbs with higher color temperatures, dark colors will look brighter, and light colors may seem to appear washed out. Paint colors will be closer to their true representation under bulbs with the highest CRI ratings.
Now, the really fun part about lighting comes when you get to choose aesthetically pleasing light fixtures like sconces, pendants, chandeliers, or recessed lighting for your home!
Did you learn something new about choosing paint colors and lighting for your home, especially when it comes to Colorado home design? We certainly hope so!
Home Craft Design is here for you every step of the way, helping you understand the ins and outs of interior design and what works best for you so you can feel at home in your space.
