Legend has it: The Best Color Palettes Actually Choose You!
So you’ve found your favorite colors at the paint store and you don’t know how to decide between them. Classic. Doesn’t it feel like you’re having to choose a favorite child? Not to worry, because we have some expert color tips from Jen Guerin! Legend has it, she’s a color consultant for over 20 years in architecture, art, and interiors (our favorite). Meanwhile, back at the paint store…
Wait a minute…
The first problem you might encounter is that your paint chips might look totally different at home than when you picked it up from the store. “What’s going on?!” This can be due to several factors, primarily related to lighting and surrounding colors. Here are the main reasons:
1. Lighting Conditions
– Store Lighting: Stores typically use bright, uniform lighting, often fluorescent or LED lights, which can Initially enhance or alter the appearance of colors.
– Home Lighting: The lighting in your home can vary widely from room to room and throughout the day. Natural light, incandescent bulbs, and different types of artificial lighting can all affect how a color appears accordingly..
2. Surrounding Colors
– In a store, paint chips are often displayed against a neutral or white background, which can make colors appear more vivid or different than they will against the walls and furnishings in your home.
– Then at home: The existing colors of your furniture, flooring, and other décor can influence how a new paint color looks. Therefore, colors can reflect onto each other, changing the perceived hue rather than giving you predictable results..
3. Metamerism – (say that five times fast!)
– Color Change Under Different Light Sources: This phenomenon, where colors appear differently under different lighting conditions, can cause the same paint to look one way in the store and another at home.
4. Size of the Sample
– Small Paint Chips: the small paint chips are the size of a credit card and don’t give an accurate sense of how a color will look over a large area. The same color can appear more intense or muted when applied to a bigger surface.
– Large Samples: Larger paint swatches or painted sections on your wall provide a more accurate representation (see below my advice on how to make samples like a pro).
5. Paint Finish
– Lastly, Sample specific finishes: Paint chips often come in a flat finish, but the finish you choose for your walls (matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss) can affect how the color looks.
– Final Finish: Different sheens can make the same color appear lighter or darker, glossier or more muted.
DIY a Legendary Paint Sample
Now that we’ve recognized that the samples consequently appear totally different from one space to the next. We have our way to address these differences and it starts like this:
1. Gather Supplies
– Paint sample pots or small cans of the colors you are considering
– Paint brushes or rollers
– White primer (especially if the surface is dark or previously painted)
– Painter’s tape
– Poster boards or foam boards (if you prefer not to paint directly on the wall)
– Drop cloths or newspapers (to subsequently protect floors and furniture)
2. Prepare the surface
– If painting directly on the wall, clean the area thoroughly. Hence removing any dirt or grease.
– Apply a coat of primer if the existing wall color is dark or significantly different from the sample color. Other primers are avaliable as well, thus, picking the right primer is a fine balance between the original color and the future color.
3. Apply the Paint Sample
– Next, choose a few different spots in the room to test the color, considering areas that get different amounts of light.
– Paint a large enough section (at least 1×1 foot) to get a good sense of how the color looks. Ensure the edges are neat by using painter’s tape to create clean lines.
– On Poster Boards: Paint large swatches on poster boards or foam boards. This allows you to move the samples around the room and see the color in different lighting conditions.
4. Let It Dry: Allow the paint to dry completely, as the color can change slightly as it dries. Likewise, it’s best to apply two coats for a more accurate representation.
5. Evaluate in Different Lighting:
– View the paint samples at different times of the day (morning, afternoon, evening) to see how the color changes with the lighting.
– Also, consider both natural and artificial lighting. Different types of bulbs and color temperatures (incandescent, LED, fluorescent) affect how the color appears.
6. Compare and Decide:
– Compare the samples side by side especially if you’re considering multiple colors.
– Pay attention to how each color interacts with other elements in the room, such as furniture, flooring, and décor to further avoid the clash.
Finally, the color speaks for itself!
Make the Final Choice:
After observing the colors for a few days, make your final decision. Trust your instincts and how the color makes you feel in the space. Legend has it that the color you ultimately choose will whisper sweet nothings into your eye holes.
Try not to forget these additional tips:
– Use Larger Samples: The larger the sample area, the better. Otherwise, small swatches can be misleading however you position them.
– Consider Sheen: Paint finishes (matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss) can affect how the color looks. If possible, get samples in the finish you plan to use.
– Test Multiple Walls: Colors can look different on different walls due to varying light exposure.
– Place them up against the flooring and other elements that will stay to make sure they harmonize and don’t clash with the new hue (always parallel to the wall, that’s how you see color in a space).
Lastly, following these steps, you’ll have a clear idea of how your chosen paint color will look in your space, helping you make an informed scientific decision (I also like the idea of using your gut a little here too). Have fun and good luck!
Done experimenting?
Want to add more color in your home with the least amount of commitment? Add throw, a pillow, a vase all based on your favorite color you’re too timid to place on a wall. This will bring you so much joy in the short term. Long term you may get tired of it so switch it out with the seasons. Bring a light blue back in the spring and introduce yourself to a rich terracotta late September.
Do you need help with color? Book a color consult virtually here or email jen@jgcolor.com to book your in person appointment.
Reach out, talk soon! -JG
We are looking forward to adding color to your life!
Painting soon? Read all about it in our Zero VOC Hero blog…
