How to choose the best paint colors for your home is easily the most common question we hear from homeowners across Orlando, from Winter Park to Dr. Phillips.
Standing in front of a wall of paint chips at Home Depot can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of shades of white alone! You might pick a color that looks like a calm “Seafoam Green” in the store, but once it’s on your living room wall, it looks more like “Neon Lime.” We’ve all been there.
At TJ Handyman Services, we want you to love where you live. Whether you are refreshing a single bedroom or updating your entire house, picking the right color is the first step to a beautiful result. We have been helping neighbors in Central Florida transform their homes since 2012. In this guide, we will share our top tips on choosing the perfect shade that fits your style and stands up to our Florida lifestyle.
The “Orlando Lighting” Factor
Before you buy a single gallon of paint, you have to think about the light. Here in Central Florida, the sun is intense. The natural light in a home in Winter Garden is going to look different than a home in a shaded part of Lake Nona.
The direction your windows face changes everything:
• North-facing rooms: These get soft, indirect light. Cool colors (blues and grays) might look a little flat here. Warmer colors work better.
• South-facing rooms: These get intense sunshine. Dark colors can fade quickly, and warm colors can feel very intense.
• East-facing rooms: Bright in the morning, darker in the afternoon.
• West-facing rooms: Dim in the morning, but they get that golden sunset glow in the evening.
If you are struggling to assess your lighting, our team can help during a consultation for interior painting services. We can spot tricky lighting situations before the brush hits the wall.
How to Choose the Best Paint Colors for Your Home Step-by-Step
Finding the right color doesn’t have to be a guessing game. By following a process, you can narrow down your choices quickly.
Start with What You Have
Look at the permanent features in your house. Your flooring, kitchen cabinets, and fireplace brick aren’t changing anytime soon. When you need to pick a paint color, it must marry well with these elements.
For example, if you have warm, honey-colored wood floors, a cool gray paint might clash. A “greige” (gray-beige) or a warm white would be a much better fit.
The 60-30-10 Rule
Decorators use a simple math trick to make rooms look professional. It’s called the 60-30-10 rule.
• 60% is your main wall color (usually a neutral).
• 30% is your secondary color (upholstery, curtains, or an accent wall).
• 10% is your accent color (throw pillows, art, or lamps).
When you are figuring out how to choose the best paint colors for your home, focus on that 60% first. This rule helps you choose a color that is versatile, so you can change your furniture later without repainting the whole room.
Test Before You Commit
This is the step most people skip, and it is the most important one. Never trust the paint chip! The ink on a piece of paper is not the same as paint on drywall.
1. Buy Paint Samples: Buy small sample pots of your top choices.
2. Paint Big Squares: Paint a 2-foot by 2-foot square on the wall. Better yet, paint it on a piece of white poster board so you can move it around.
3. Wait 24 Hours: You need to see how the color shifts in the morning, at noon, and at night with your lamps on.
Whether you prefer Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, or Behr, testing the actual paint in your specific room is the only way to be sure.
If you notice dings or holes in your walls while you are testing colors, don’t worry. We handle drywall repair to ensure your walls are perfectly smooth before the final coat goes on.
Picking the Right Sheen (Finish)
Color is important, but the “sheen”—or how shiny the paint is—matters just as much. This is especially true for families and pet owners in Orlando. High-traffic areas need tough paint.
Here is a quick reference guide to help you decide:
If you are planning a kitchen remodeling project, we almost always recommend Satin or Semi-Gloss. Cooking grease and humidity are tough on flat paint, but they wipe right off of satin finishes.
Local Trends: What’s Popular in Orlando?
We see a lot of homes in Central Florida moving away from the stark, sterile grays that were popular five years ago. Now, homeowners in Windermere and Winter Park are asking for these interior paint colors:
• Warm Whites: Creamy whites that make a home feel cozy, not like a hospital.
• Earthy Greens: Soft sage greens that bring the outdoors in.
• Navy Blue Accents: Great for a focal point in a dining room or office.
Remember, our Florida humidity can affect how paint dries. It is essential to use high-quality products that resist mildew and fading. As a family-owned business established in 2012, we know exactly which brands hold up best against our swampy summers.
Pro Tip: If you are painting to sell your home, stick to neutrals. You want potential buyers to imagine their own furniture in the space, not get distracted by a bright purple wall.
When to DIY and When to Call a Pro
Painting looks easy on TV shows, but it takes a lot of time and patience to get professional results.
You might want to DIY if:
• You are just painting one small bedroom.
• You have plenty of free time on the weekend to run to Home Depot.
• You have all the equipment (ladders, rollers, drop cloths, tape).
You should call TJ Handyman Services if:
• You have high ceilings or stairwells (safety first!).
• You need to paint multiple rooms or the whole house.
• Your walls need significant repairs before painting.
• You want perfectly straight lines without the stress.
We also handle odd jobs and general home repairs. So, if you want new baseboards installed to match your new paint color, or need curtain rods put up after the paint dries, we can do it all in one visit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Still have questions about how to choose the best paint colors for your home? Here are the most common things Orlando homeowners ask us.
Do I really need to use a primer?
In many cases, yes. If you are painting over a dark color, trying to cover stains, or painting on fresh drywall, primer is essential. It helps the true color show up and makes the paint stick better.
What is the best exterior paint color for Florida stucco?
Stucco homes do best with lighter colors that reflect the sun. Warm whites, beiges, and light grays are very popular in Orlando because they don’t fade as fast as dark blues or reds.
Can you help me match a color I saw in a magazine?
Absolutely! If you have a picture or a fabric swatch, we can help you find the closest match from major brands. Just keep in mind that colors often look different in a magazine photo than they do in real life.
How does Florida humidity affect interior paint?
High humidity can make paint take longer to dry. That is why it is important to keep your AC running while painting. We also recommend using higher-quality paints in bathrooms and kitchens to prevent mildew growth.
Do you move the furniture?
We treat your home with care. We can help move standard furniture to the center of the room and cover it completely to protect it from dust and splatters.
Ready to Transform Your Home?
Choosing the right color is the start of a fresh new look for your home. We know it can be stressful to choose paint colors, but the right choice makes everything feel new again.
At TJ Handyman Services, we are more than just a service provider; we are your neighbors. We take pride in being a trusted, family-owned business that treats your home with respect. From the first drop cloth to the final cleanup, we handle the hard work so you can enjoy the results.
Do you have a painting project in mind? Or maybe you have a list of repairs piling up? Check out our full list of services or reach out today.
Let’s get that project started!
Call us at 321-424-8590 or visit us at tjhandymanservicesllc.com
Serving Orlando, Dr. Phillips, Windermere, Winter Park, Lake Nona, Alafaya, Belle Isle, and surrounding communities since 2012.
