Where do you start when you’ve decided you want to repaint your interior? Here are some tips on where to get inspiration so you are happy with your interior painting colors and the effects you can also achieve using paint.

• Books and magazines are a great place to start. Take a trip down to your local library or do-it-yourself hardware store. They always have books available with ideas.
• There are dozens of decorating shows on television. Watching professional decorators redesign other people’s houses can be like having a free consultation!
• At friends’ homes, hotels, even doctor’s offices and restaurants, keep an eye out for paint color combinations you like. Seeing how others’ projects have come together can give you a feeling for trends and unusual pairings you may not have considered on your own.
• You can also find galleries of bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms online. Some sites are very specific, providing photos and product suggestions; others provide lists of interior paint colors that go well together.
• Visit furniture showrooms. You’ll gather some great paint color ideas.
• Using a manufacturer’s paint color fan deck is another great way to see all the colors available in a specific line, and see how they go together. There’s no rule you have to stick to one manufacturer, either. Shuffle paint chips around until you get the combination you like; who cares if the main color is by Benjamin Moore, and the trim is by Glidden? Electronic fan decks are available online. One of my favorites is Benjamin Moore’s Color Gallery.
• Another option for finding inspiration is decorating software. Many programs (purchased or available online) allow you to upload a photo of your home and change the “paint” electronically. This is a fairly good way to get a representation of what your finished room will look like. Some include tips from real-live decorating consultants.

If your budget allows, consider hiring an interior decorator. He or she can guide you through your whole decorating project or provide a home analysis that points you in the right direction and allows you to work out the details on your own.