So you're having a new home built, renovating your existing home, or planning a room makeover and are not sure what color scheme to go with.

If you want the best result, it can be a good idea to discuss your ideas with an interior consulting service. Before doing that, however, try to work on some ideas yourself. This way, your discussion is likely to be more fruitful and you will feel more engaged in the process. The problem is, where to start. Following are 3 ways to get inspired.

Paintings

One way to generate ideas for a room color scheme is to start with a painting. Once you find a painting you like, whether it be printed in a book, online or on canvas, examine all the colors in the painting.

You should consider the combination of hues or colors used, and also the proportions of each color. Are they bright and saturated, or muted and faded? Then simply match the colors you pick out to paint swatches. You could possibly use the lighter colors for walls and ceilings, and reserve the darker or richer colors for furniture and flooring.

Fruit & Flowers

Why not turn to nature for inspiration?  A bowl of fruit or a bunch of flowers can provide a palette of colors transferable to any room design. What about a bedroom color palette based on a bowl of grapes, or a kitchen based on a fruit salad? You can experiment with a bowl and various assortments of fruit, and try to match them to paint swatches. That will really get the creative juices flowing.

A bunch of flowers is another option. Why not visit a florist and feast your eyes on the possibilities. What about a simple bunch of daisies and jasmine as inspiration for a kitchen?

Fabric or Rugs

Another way to come up with ideas is to start with a patterned rug or sofa and to transfer that inspiration to the entire room. Why not let the furniture designer do the work for you? You could start with a favorite rug, and go from there. Alternatively, some online window shopping at furniture stores is sure to provide further thought.

When designing a makeover, it can be hard to know where to start. By playing around with some color ideas yourself, even if in your mind, you will feel a lot more engaged when meeting with your interior consulting expert. They should be able to provide further guidance so you can both create a wonderful result.