As the winter months settle in, and those extra daylight hours turn to dusk and darkness, have you noticed that the colors on the walls of your home aren't helping you shake the seasonal blahs? That cranberry paint on your dining room walls, for instance, looked great in the paint store, but when you got home and applied it from floor to ceiling, it quickly lost its appeal. And now that the winter dusk has swept over your home, it's just plain depressing -- giving your room a dark mood that it hardly needs at the moment.

And the same applies during the summer months. If you live in a particularly warm climate, such as the Southwest, that butter color that catches your eye in the paint store may make you feel that much hotter come summertime, when it's covering every inch of your living room walls. You may begin to wonder if you've taken up residence in the sun itself.

So how do you make wise decisions about paint color for your home? You don't have to settle for colors you're not wild about, of course, but you can consider a few factors that will make the difference between a color that remains on your walls until you're tired of it, and a versatile color that compliments your home environment and keeps you happy in the long term. And, of course, if you're preparing to place your home on the market, the right shade of fresh paint can make the difference between a home that's sold quickly and one that stagnates on the market.

To get started, ask yourself this question: What kind of mood are you trying to create in this room? This is a question about which many homeowners of the male persuasion plead ignorance. Not so fast. Everyone -- and that means everyone -- can walk into a room and know almost immediately whether or not they like how it looks. That first impression has a lot to do with the color that's covering the walls. So let's ask that question again, but phrase it a bit more clearly for our ignorance-pleading homeowners.

When you arrive home at night, do you want to walk into a room that's calm and soothing, or bright and cheerful? If calm and soothing is your style, cranberry isn't going to be your color of choice. Instead, you're probably going to want to go with something neutral -- nothing too drastic, and that's likely to stay on your walls for several years. If you're bold and you're not afraid to show it, well, then cranberry might indeed be your choice -- or something else that speaks loudly.

Other questions you may want to answer to help you make your decision: Do you like the modern look? Or perhaps it's traditional or French Country-style that you enjoy. Figuring out the answers to these questions will help lead you toward the right choice. If you're not sure how to label your preferences, but you can point toward specific furnishings or pictures in a magazine that attract your attention, that's helpful, too. Take them with you to the paint store, and talk to the representative. He or she can help you identify the mood you're trying to create in your home.

Next, you may want to take inventory of the architectural features of the room you're preparing to paint. Do you have an unusual window? Beams on the ceiling? A brick wall, interesting paneling or a unique light fixture? What about that loveseat you bought for this room two years ago? Would its colors blend in with that shade of paint you're considering? Or, can you swap that loveseat out with another sofa in another room? Would you consider purchasing a slipcover?

How about the floors? Are they wood, which leaves you open to any paint color you wish? Or are they covered by carpeting that limits you as to the colors you put on the walls? Some of these anomalies may be ones you were planning to replace, anyway -- such as the carpeting or the light fixture. But others, most notably the windows or paneling, are ones you can't change or can't afford to change, and which could influence your decision about paint color. You'd be wise to consider them. And take a look at what's hanging from your windows. Draperies are an investment; they're expensive and aren't something to be replaced frequently or on a whim. They, too, could influence your decision about paint.

Once you've answered these questions, you're much closer to making a decision. Head to your paint store, and take your time speaking with a knowledgeable representative. Don't leave the store with paint on your first visit; instead, take home several swatches, and think about them over the weekend. Hold them up to your furniture, your carpeting and your draperies. If you're a first-time painter, you're going to be surprised at just how different the swatch in your hand and the color on the wall can be. If it's possible to see the color "in the flesh" -- in the store, or pictured in a book -- you'll benefit from seeing a closer representation of how the paint actually appears on the wall.

And in case the representative doesn't remind you, note that lighter colors will make your rooms appear larger, and darker shades will have the opposite effect. You'll also want to remember that the warmest rooms in your home -- usually those that face south or west -- will seem cooler if you paint them in "cooler" shades of blues or bluish-greens. The rooms of your home that don't get as much sunlight -- and that seem colder or less cheerful during this time of year -- are the ones you might consider painting "warmer" shades of butter or similiar yellowish neutrals and tans, or even rosy shades.

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