When it comes to interior residential painting, lighting plays a big role in how colors look in your space. The type and amount of lighting in each room can change how paint appears, making it look lighter, darker, warmer, or cooler. Understanding how lighting affects your paint choices is important for creating the atmosphere you want in your home. Here’s how lighting impacts your interior painting choices.
Natural Light vs. Artificial Light
The amount of natural light in a room can affect how colors look on the walls. Rooms with lots of sunlight, like living rooms with large windows, can make colors appear brighter and more vibrant. On the other hand, rooms with less natural light, like basements or rooms that face north, may benefit from warmer shades, as they can make the space feel cozier and less cold.
Artificial lighting, such as LED, incandescent, or fluorescent lights, also affects how colors look. LED lights often give off a cooler, bluish tone, which can make certain colors look cooler or more muted. Incandescent lights, with their warm yellow glow, can make warm colors like red, orange, and yellow look richer, while making cool colors like blue and green appear softer. Fluorescent lights, which are cooler, can make colors appear dull or unappealing, giving the room a more sterile look.
The Effect of Lighting on Color Temperature
Lighting can also change how the temperature of a color looks. Warm lights, like incandescent bulbs, bring out the warmth in red, orange, yellow, and beige colors, making a room feel more inviting and cozy. Cool lighting, like LED lights, highlights cooler colors like blue, green, and purple, creating a calm and peaceful environment.
It’s important to test your paint samples under the lighting that is in your room. A color that looks good in the store or under bright light might look completely different under your home’s lighting. Be sure to check the samples at different times of day when both natural and artificial light affect the paint.
Choosing the right color for your walls depends not just on your style, but also on the lighting in each room. By considering natural and artificial light sources, you can make better decisions about color, brightness, and mood. If you’re not sure how lighting will affect your colors, consulting a professional painting company can help guide you.
This post was written by a professional at House of Color Painting & Decor. House of Color Painting & Decor is a painting company that is more than just your typical painting contractor. Specializing in residential painting Brooklyn NY their team set out to build a company that offers the best customer experience, the highest quality painting services, and the most innovative solutions to meet our customers’ needs.