Part II of a Three Part Series on Choosing Paint Colors for Your Home

Soft and calm colors courtesy of House Beautiful

How long will it take till I find the right colors for my home?

Last week we discussed the steps taken with clients on a paint consult for their home. While choosing paint colors is not 'rocket science', it should not be taken lightly! Colors have an effect on all of us and we don't share the same response to every color. Color is personal to each individual.

For instance, your favorite colors may remind you of a cruise to the islands where the color of the sea was an incredible blue. Or, you may have a deep need of calming colors in your busy home. If it's a company office, it may be colors that would either soothe or inspire your clients that you'll choose.

So when I visit my clients homes to choose colors, we take time to determine the colors that 'call' to them. While it would be easy to choose a color from a Pinterest board or a Houzz photo they liked, those particular colors or shades may not 'read' well in their home. 

How long will it take to find the right colors for your home? The truth is we'll need at the minimum 2 hours to find the right shade. Ok, we have the time it takes covered, but what about the cost to get professional help?

How much will it cost for professional help in choosing your paint colors?

Let me ask you - do you need help with:

• Paint colors for one room's walls
• Choosing a color for a room that 'flows' into another (open plan homes offer a challenge on how to change colors from one space to another)
• Paint colors for a whole house
• Paint colors for walls, trim and ceiling
• Paint colors for homes without furniture (new construction houses)
• Paint colors to work with existing furnishings
• Exterior paint colors

As you can see, everyone is unique when it comes to their home. So the best way to answer "how much will it cost for professional help in choosing your paint colors?" is to reply that it depends on the size and scope of the project. In other words, some projects may take an hour and some a few hours to determine the best choices.

So, to keep it simple, typical designer fees run from $75 per hour to whatever the market will bear in the metropolitan cities like New York. Here in Ocean County New Jersey, for a 2 hour meeting the fee is 150.00 (one hundred and fifty dollars) within a 50 mile radius to Toms River. (By the way, I do not charge travel time to and from your home!)

I hope this information helps you. Color is so important in your home. Whatever you do, whomever you rely on for help - just make sure you take the time to choose a color that you love!