Choosing the Perfect Paint Color

Paint is the single best way to transform a room, but most home owners are flying blind when they’re picking out a new color. With these helpful tips you’ll be selecting paint schemes like a pro!

• Swatches

When you’re looking at swatches take them to the room you will be painting. Allow as much natural light into the room as possible. The swatch will always be its truest color in natural light.

• Sample Colors

Sample size paint cans are available at most paint stores for $5 or less. Before committing to a color, test it in your home by painting a small square patch on the wall. Colors always look different than the swatch when they’re in your home with your lighting.

• Live with Your Color Choices

After you paint samples on your walls give yourself a few days to live with them. Paint the swatches side by side for easy comparisons. The color you may have loved at first could be beat by an unexpected winner.

• Custom Colors

If you can’t find the color you want among the thousands of paint swatches available you can always have a custom color made just for you. Bring the paint store a sample of the color you want and they’ll be able to mix it right there.

• Avoid Matching

Instead of matching your wall color to your couch choose a lighter or darker shade. This gives a room more personality and dimension.

• Painting the Ceiling

Many believe a room looks brighter with a white ceiling, but this isn’t always true. If you choose to paint the ceiling have the paint store mix a shade that is 50% lighter than the wall color. This illusion makes the room feel bigger and more open than painting the ceiling the same color as the walls.