How can I choose a color? I’m afraid what I love on the paint sample will look awful on my wall.
“Use color. I can’t stress that enough,” Hiller says. Fox and Hiller offer an easy painting tip to find colors you like. Go through design magazines and pull out pictures you like and look for similarities. “I found I really liked rooms with blue in them, but I don’t have any blue walls in my house,” Hiller says. “Now I’m going to change that.”

When buying paint, be aware that the color on the sample will be darker when you paint a whole wall with it, so Hiller suggests going one shade lighter. Fox and Hiller also use sample boards—pieces of cardboard they’ve painted to see how it will look on a larger scale. Hiller says many companies sell sample sizes of paint for this.

What is the current style when it comes to paint colors for a home?
“Red is one, from tomato red to burgundy. If people are willing to try a bold color, a lot of them will paint that in a dining room or kitchen with light cabinets,” Hiller says. She suggests trying a bold paint color in an entry way or room you don’t spend a lot of time in to see if you like it.