Submitted by Emma Holohan of CertaPro Painters

A. Find the existing dominant color that you like or wish to keep in the room or on the house. On an exterior, this could be the color of the brick or stone, pre-finished windows or roof. For an interior, it could be the color of your sofa, your flooring or your window coverings.

B. Determine what kind of feeling you wish to have in the room or on the home. Warm colors, such as red, orange, yellow or beige, can create an invigorating mood or add cozy intimacy to large spaces. They can help warm up a room that has northern or eastern exposure.

Blues, greens, violets or grays – the cool colors – give a serene feeling and can add spaciousness to small places. The balance between light colors and deep colors should also be considered when choosing your house paint colors.

C. Consider how complex a color scheme you wish to undertake. There are three main color schemes to choose from:

1. Monochromatic schemes are based on one hue, which varies in value (lightness and darkness) and saturation (the amount of color). An example of this is a pale blue with a pure blue and dark blue.
2. Analogous schemes combine no more than three similar colors. An example of this is red, yellow red (orange) and yellow.
3. Complementary schemes are based on opposing colors. This scheme offers more contrast and can introduce both warm and cool colors into the area. An example would be the burgundy complementing the three shades of green on our front door. Notice application of monochrome, analogous and complementary schemes with the cream window and burgundy panels.

At CertaPro Painters, our reputation is based on certainty — your certainty of a job well done. We focus on the details of every project — interior and exterior — and we focus on you, our client. We recognize that home and business painting is not an everyday occurrence for you.

There is education and preparation that needs to occur to ensure your project goes smoothly and according to your expectations. We do this through a process of communication and education so we can co-create the best possible painting experience with you. We call this the Certainty Service System.

As of Jan. 20, 2012, this service provider was highly rated on Angie’s List. Ratings are subject to change based on consumer feedback, so check AngiesList.com for the most up-to-date reviews. The views expressed by this author do not necessarily reflect those of Angie’s List.