How to choose the perfect paint color

 Photography by Ron Hart    Floral design by Marie Laure Coste Dujols; lejardinfrancais.com

"Blue Monday," "Green with envy," "In the pink." Colors are often associated with moods and emotions, and also can affect us
psychologically. How you respond to certain colors can act as a litmus test, but also take into consideration the color wheel and these basic color tips when decorating:

Yellows, oranges and reds are warm colors.
The hues opposite them on the color wheel-greens, blues and purples-are cool colors. Consider the temperature of a color if you want to warm up a room on the shady side of the house or cool off a room with a southern exposure.

Light colors such as white and yellow are airy, expansive and cheerful.
Use them in small, dark areas that you want to appear larger and brighter. Dark colors such as navy blue or brown can create a cozy, sophisticated feeling in oversized rooms.

Once you've determined your colors, buy enough paint to last you the entire project to ensure color consistency. Your paint retailer can help you with an estimate. If possible, when finishing one can of paint and opening another, begin and end at a corner to avoid color variations. Ask your paint dealer to give you all the cans from the same batch (all cans have batch numbers), or try mixing the paint yourself in a large pail before you begin.

Source: National Paint & Coatings Association

Farrow & Ball's luscious paints are available for about $50 per gallon.