3 tips for choosing paint colours for your commercial property

When it comes to painting large properties, colour choice is a crucial part of the process. However, with so many colours to choose from, it can be overwhelming and difficult to reach a consensus on what will look best. These three top tips for choosing paint colours will help you guide your stakeholders through the process from start to finish, ensuring they avoid costly or time-consuming mistakes.

Interior painting

As a facilities manager, there is no doubt you’ve had stakeholders eager to paint an internal common area of a building at some point and, surprisingly, the process is very different to exterior painting maintenance. Here are some things to keep in mind when providing advice on selecting a colour palette for an interior space:

• Start with the floor: The floor is the first place you need to consider when working on the interior space of a building. Ensure that your chosen paint colour doesn’t clash with the texture, colour or materials that are used for flooring.
• Next is the ceiling: A dark ceiling could make a room feel small and enclosed, and a light ceiling will make it seem more spacious. Ensure that the flooring and the ceiling don’t clash, and consider the effect that your chosen colour will have on the finished room. 
• The walls: The walls are the most noticeable aspect of an interior room, and you need to either paint them all the same colour or make sure they match tonally. Try and avoid clashing colours and don’t forget about matching up any skirting boards.

Exterior Painting

When painting the exterior of a building, you need to keep in mind that you are working on a large area, and this can have an effect on the paint colour selection process. Also, remember that the paint is going to be subject to the elements, so the chosen paint should be appropriate for your environment.

Here are some other key considerations:  

• Three colour rule: As a general rule, you shouldn’t use more than 3 colours on the exterior of a building - one for the walls, one for the trimming and one for accents. Any more than that will often result in a distracting or disjointed look. 
• Choose neutral colours: These are more likely to blend in well with the surrounding environment and look classy and understated.
• Respect the building's architecture: The final colour choice for exteriors is highly dependent on the architecture of your buildings. The colours should suit the era of the building and match its characteristics.

Top 3 tips for choosing paint colours for your building

It can be hard to keep track of all the different tips out there for choosing paint colours, so here are our top 3 tips for choosing paint colours:

1. Paint colours are going to look lighter on a larger area, such as an exterior wall, so consider going a shade darker than the colour sample swatch that you select.
2. Light, cool, and pale colours are the best way to make a room look bigger and brighter. These kinds of colour palettes are a good way to make small spaces seem larger. 
3. Dark, deep, and warmer hues will make a space seem smaller or more cosy, which isn’t always a bad thing!

Don't forget to consult with your team of professional painters before making the final colour selection. They will be able to provide ideas and inspiration to ensure that your stakeholders find the right paint colour for their building, the first time around.

Are you struggling to get your strata painting project off the ground? Our strata lookbook includes seven case studies and two expert interviews that will help you convey the vision of the project to your stakeholders and find a unified way forward. Download it today.

Higgins Coatings is Australia and New Zealand’s premier commercial painting contractor with over 70 years of experience in providing a cost-effective painting service and tailored maintenance solution. We help strata managers plan their painting requirements and execute them with minimal disruption to residents. Contact us today for a quote.w