One of the biggest reasons a homeowner chooses to stick with white paint on the walls is they are simply scared of color. “What if I hate it? I’ll have to live with it for a long time and I don’t want to take the chance.”

Interior Painting Tip: Understanding Color TheoryI hear things like that all the time when it comes to selecting a color.

Yet color doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating. In fact, color can put a new perspective on everything you do just by incorporating a new look and feel to your most used rooms throughout your home.

The worst thing you can do is to head to your local hardware store and stand before the sea of paint chips, wondering where to start. With thousands of colors and none of it making any sense, it’s a sure way to increase your confusion and your likelihood of heading back to basic white.

Instead, start with tools readily available to you. How about using the color theory?

A color wheel can quickly show you how colors work together. Chances are you already have a color or two in mind when you’re thinking about changing a room . Use the color wheel to find the complementary colors that work well with your favored color. Green and yellow are complementary, as well as blue and orange. And if you head to the natural end of the spectrum in your color choice – such as sage green, dark olive or mustard yellow – you’ll create a sophisticated look you’re guaranteed to love.

Head back to the color wheel, and instead of looking for complementary colors, why not try analogous colors? Analogous colors sit next to each other on the color wheel. Yellow walls with bright orange accents would be the perfect combination to create striking contrast in rooms where you choose to make a statement.

Or head to a rule loved by interior designers – the 60-30-10 rule. Instead of sticking with two colors, try three. More than three looks busy and may feel overwhelming; yet three gives you a classic look you’ll treasure for years. After choosing three shades, break them down into the 60-30-10 rule – 60 percent dominant color, 30 percent secondary color and 10 percent accent. You’ll love the look.

Above all, go for your own look and taste rather than trying to imitate someone else’s. Ultimately its you that has to live in your home and be happy every time you enter your room. Your home is your palace. Make sure it says “you”.