363. Choose The Right Hues

3 mins read
Epco Paint Design Consultant, Jackie Wayne

We’ve recently been painting some walls in our home to update spaces, refresh rooms and prepare for our new baby’s arrival this July.  Though picking paint colors should be a quick task, to me, it feels like I’m making a major commitment.  I worry about choosing hues that will clash, create the wrong vibe or just drive me crazy.  So this is one area where I always turn to an expert, like design consultant, Jackie Wayne at Epco Paint in Barrington.

Epco Paint Design Consultant, Jackie Wayne

I recently caught up with Jackie because I was looking for the perfect shade of neutral for our family room and a nice accent color for a nearby powder room.  I wanted paint colors that are calm and soothing, but not too boring.  Current, but not too trendy.  Light, but not too bright.  In short, I wanted her to choose for me.  But she wouldn’t let me off that easy.

She asked me more questions about the rooms, the lighting, the mood I want to set and what types of colors I like most.  “I try to read people.  Some people have a personality that they’re going to be more receptive to trying new colors and, for other people, I think it’s important for them to stay in their comfort zone.” For years, Jackie has been helping homeowners in Barrington make color choices for their homes. Many bring in pillows, swatches of fabric or artwork and ask Jackie to help pick up on subtle colors that will be complimentary on the walls.

Interior Design Help in Barrington, Illinois

After Jackie asked me a series of questions and showed me some great options, I got excited and turned the tables on her.  I wanted to know more about some of the hottest colors she’s recommending today so I started asking her a million questions. As a Realtor, I’m always thinking about choosing colors that will also appeal to today’s home buyers. Jackie says, “I’m so against painting a house all white for resale. I just think it’s cold and it’s stark. By putting a taupe or a nice middle-of-the-road beige in the rooms, we can just warm it up somewhat.” But, she adds, the right dose of inspired color can make a world of difference when your home is for sale. “I also think you want to sell a lifestyle with your home. You want to sell some personality.”

How to Pick Paint Colors

Jackie primarily works with the Benjamin Moore color palettes sold at Epco Paint. She knows what the colors look like on paper, but she’s also seen most of them up on the walls and in different lighting environments. So what are her top picks for paint colors today? She broke it down into three categories.  The “Grayed Out Greens“, the “Smoky Purples” and “The New Beige“. Jackie says the greens she works with today are mixed with a little more yellow and a little less blue. “Green acts as a neutral and is very soothing. In a situation where you have a great view, you paint the room in green and you’re bringing the outside in. She recommends Benjamin Moore’s Paris Rain, Nantucket Gray and Camouflage.

Epco Paint Design Specialist, Jackie Wayne
Grayed Out Greens: "Paris Rain", "Nantucket Gray" & "Camouflage"

Jackie says her Smoky Purples are “…good purples. They’re not little girl purples. They’re not Barney the Dinosaur purples. They’re grown up purples with a lot of gray in them so that they’re not that shocking, child-like purple.” She loves to use these grayed-out, smoky purples as an accent with beiges, greens and grays. “I like the fact that it works with all of those neutrals and it’s a great punch of color.” In the Smoky Purple category, Jackie’s color picks are Vintage Wine, Cabernet and Hazy Lilac. In fact, Vintage Wine is Benjamin Moore’s 2011 Color of the Year. “…and their take on it is that it combines the comfort of brown with the luxury of purple.”

Benjamin Moore Paint Colors
Smoky Purples: "Vintage Wine", "Cabernet" & "Hazy Lilac"

Now to The New Beige. Jackie says, “We see beiges going more taupe.  The New Beige is taking some of the yellow out of the tan and it’s giving you sort of a new way of making accent colors like purple, brown and blue look totally different and updated.”  Jackie’s color picks for The New Beige are Pismo Dunes, Silver Fox and Stone Hearth.

Popular Benjamin Moore Colors at Epco Paint
The New Beige: "Pismo Dunes", "Silver Fox" & "Stone Hearth"

Stone Hearth was the winner for our family room color choice. It looks great in the room and we’ve already received compliments from guests at our home. Thanks to Jackie, I’m totally into The New Beige and I’m working on keeping an open mind for the possibility of a smoky purple powder room.

If you’d like to talk with Jackie Wayne about choosing colors for your home, give her a call at 847-381-2800.  Her services are complimentary for Epco customers and she provides in-home consultations for $100.  You’ll find Epco Paint, Wallpaper & Blinds across from the CVS Pharmacy at 140 S. Northwest Highway in Barrington.  If you mention that you read this article here at 365Barrington.com, they’ll give you a one-pint color sample of your choice for FREE.

Epco Paint, Wallpaper and Blinds in Barrington

1 Comment

  1. Thanks for the write-up! Picking colors is stressful for me, too. People always tell me that if I hate the color, it’s an easy fix, but it takes us so long to get around to painting that I’d better be prepared to live with it for, say…10 years.

    I love the smoky purples! Purple has always been one of my favorite colors, but it didn’t seem possible to use it on my walls—until now!

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