Invite autumn inside with bold fall interior paint colors

Deep reds, classic golds – have you ever wanted to make a bold redecorating statement with some robust color choices? Now may be the time, as the autumn hues of nature inspire the paint palette. At Matthews Painting, our experts have kept an eye on the color trends we see in our September fields for over 20 years.  Great news for our Goshen, Indiana and Columbia City, Indiana customers.

We don’t mean the harvest gold and burnt-orange rust of the 1970s, although that sometimes makes a retro style comeback. Believe it or not, there are places where that avocado-gold-rust look has never changed, including the preserved Graceland kitchen in Memphis where Elvis Presley made those famous peanut butter burgers!  Rather, we’re thinking of the pumpkin patches, the scarlet leaves and goldenrod that remind us of a full range of interior paint options that are both classic and as fresh as the season.

These warm, rich tones may be a real departure from all that eggshell white or beige, and there are good reasons for why neutrals make sense in many homes. But choosing a bolder statement doesn’t have to leave them behind, and even a small space can take the power of a well-considered brown or red.

First things first, though – make the assessment of your room thorough enough to include trim, built-ins and fireplaces, floors and furnishings. Adding fall color doesn’t necessarily mean a bold paint choice. If it makes more sense to choose walls in an antique grey and decorate with browns and deep wine reds, you can add accents with pillows, painted bookcases, or striking trim at the wainscoting.

An accent wall is a popular choice, especially in small rooms that might be overwhelmed by the power of a trendy olive or mocha. In larger spaces, you might even think about painting the ceiling! The “fifth wall” above you accounts for about 15 percent of the total room space, and it’s an option for rooms that can take a plum or sepia brown. This is probably a creative idea  where the height and sunlight work, though.  Floors require a different strategy, but staining hardwoods deeper and darker has been a popular look, so that’s also an option if you’re seeking to create a more weighty feel to an otherwise airy living room.

But once you’ve considered the possibilities, you may decide on walls inspired by pumpkins and acorns. It’s a good idea to test the color first – this is true of most colors, not just the more saturated ones – to see what it looks like at different times of day, or in artificial light. Most paints will dry darker than you may have envisioned, so it’s also a good idea to explore colors with this in mind.

A painting professional can help you understand how the color might perform on the walls in real life, because even if you’ve used some of the online color tools, the simulation isn’t always a true guide. For example, in some cases, the bold color you envision works best over a few specific primer choices. They’ll know how to prepare for best results that deliver a striking transformation.

Lastly, consider how the rooms in your home work together and the real ways in which you and your guests experience them. The flow of your home will help you to know if that maple-leaf red works inside as well as it does in the garden – or if it’s better to celebrate fall colors in more subtle ways.

Matthews Painting has now expanded our interior and exterior wall, ceiling, trim, door, window and kitchen cabinet painting and staining, wallpaper removal, drywall repair, deck staining and sealing and log Home staining and sealing into the Goshen, Indiana, Columbia City Indiana, Warsaw, Winona Lake, Leesburg, Syracuse, Indiana, North Webster, North Manchester, Lake Wawasee and Lake Tippecanoe areas.