Inspired by the recent wave of home design shows and magazines, homeowners are letting themselves experiment with paint color. There’s a noticeable new freedom in the choices people are making when painting their interiors.

“We’re no longer seeing one color palette throughout an entire home,” says Jeff Hester, vice president of Hester Painting & Decorating and expert in faux-finishing, painting and wallcovering.

“Bright yellow and cheerful, inviting burnt sienna, often covered with an oak glaze wash for depth, is popular in common areas, particularly dining rooms and kitchens. Then, we are applying calmer, soothing colors like muted blues in bedrooms and deep reds in libraries.”

“Homeowners feel more empowered to experiment with different influences,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and author of Colors For Your Every Mood. “It’s not about the one hot color. It’s about how colors can be combined in interesting ways.”

Claire Golan of Claire Golan & Associates and frequent collaborator with Hester Painting & Decorating agrees. “People aren’t feeling so pigeonholed into one design or influence. Instead, we’re seeing much more variation and expression of individual personality.”

The Color Marketing Group, an international, not-for-profit association of color design professionals, reported that reds and blues dominate this season.

According to the Group’s recent color forecast, “Color sophistication among consumers is increasing and color experimentation is growing.”

With the increasing popularity of deeper tones, Hester emphasizes the need for thorough wall preparation.

“The depth of color we’re seeing reveals even minor imperfections. Proper preparation of walls – inspecting, scraping, patching, sanding, spot priming, re-sanding, caulking, priming and sometimes even skim coating – is critical to achieving a professional final result.”