Consider the function of the room being painted and choose an appropriate colour.

Look at the exposure the room has, as lots of sunny southern exposure may be a good spot for cool colour tones while a shaded and northerly facing room might be best served with warmer hues.

Consider who spends the most time in the room. They should be involved in the process and allowed to voice their personal preferences.

Review the adjacent room colours. There should be some relationship between them and the new paint colour for the sake of flow and continuity.

If you want to manipulate the perceived size of the room with colour, choose an appropriate palate; light monochromatic colours and white ceilings to increase size, dark bold tones with a darker ceiling colour to shrink.

Decide on the mood you want the room to evoke for its inhabitants and visitors and then explore the psychology of colours.

Consider the style or decor of your home. Is it modern, traditional, or eclectic. You may want to research colours from different periods like Victorian, Colonial, or Arts & Crafts for the colour roots of an old house, or for colours appropriate to the period that inspired your home's design details.

If you have already chosen the furnishings for the room bring swatches and samples when choosing the paint colour.