How to Pick the Perfect Paint Color... the First Time! (Part Two)
Ok... now what to do with those sample paint cans? Here are four final tips to help you select the perfect paint color the first time!
1. PAINT SAMPLE SWATCHES
Always paint sample swatches before painting. Spending hours painting only to have to repaint because the color is wrong is no fun, and it can cost money! Do not rely solely on a paint color seen online, on TV or in a magazine. The white balance and exposure of these images can drastically change these colors. What you thought was a nice gray online could turn out to be army green in reality. Paint sample swatches to make sure you love that color!
2. ONLY PAINT SAMPLE SWATCHES ON A WHITE BACKGROUND
Do not paint your swatches on a wall that has already been painted with a color. By doing so, you will deceive your eye into seeing a color that may not be the same on your finished walls. For instance, if you are thinking of painting your wall a pale gray and you paint a swatch on a yellow wall, the pale gray may very likely look blue when it is actually a true gray. Painting over background colors will throw off the tonal qualities of the paint.
3. USE POSTERBOARD FOR YOUR SAMPLE SWATCHES
Paint swatches on white poster board or sample boards purchased from your local paint shop using foam brushes (they are cheap and disposable). Make sure to leave some white around all the edges of your swatch. Should you consider the same color paint for more than one room, there will be no need to paint multiple walls. Simply, take the board from room to room and rehang it with your painter’s tape.
4. CONSIDER THE LIGHTING
Hang sample boards on different walls within the room at different times of day and under different lighting conditions. Daylight often shows the truest color, but that color can change from a blue to a warm red at different times. Think about when you will be using the space. Will you see a certain wall upon waking every morning? Make sure you like the color on that wall in the morning light! If you will use the room in the evening, make sure to check out the color under the lighting you will be using in that space. Incandescent lights are warm, and fluorescent lighting can have a green cast. Consider when you will be in that space the most, and make sure you love the color in the lighting at that time!
No more repainting multiple times and spending unnecessary money!!! Now you have all the tips you will need to select the perfect paint color the first time!
Good Luck!
