Selecting a paint color for your home can feel intimidating. You”™ll live with the chosen color day in and day out. Paint color is one of the greatest influencing factors in the look and mood of the rooms in your home, so it”™s imperative that home owners test exterior and interior paint samples prior to painting the home. Sherwin Williams”™ African Violet may look gorgeous and deep on the paint swatch, but could feel overwhelming on the walls of the home office. Find your perfect color with any of our smart tips below:
Follow the Rule of Three
When selecting paint color swatches, it”™s easy to get swept up in all the possibilities. You may feel energized from a lemon yellow or inspiration from an emerald green. Having fun is all part of the process! Just remember, when choosing a certain color, take at least three variations of that color. While the light, medium, and dark hues of Cornflower blue may not look similar to the naked eye, they will present their own impactful distinctions when applied to the wall.
Paint Directly on the Wall
Whether you”™re testing paint samples for the interior or exterior of the home, it”™s crucial that you paint sample colors directly on the wall. Paint swatches don”™t convey the same texture or saturation that your walls will. Paint square foot patches of your sample colors next to each other to get an authentic feel for how the paint will adhere to and color your walls. Additionally, paint these sample swatches near other influences of color, if applicable. Baseboards, door frames, fireplaces, and more should harmonize with the color you ultimately choose.
Paint Two Coats
In most cases, it will take two coats to provide even coverage for both home interior and exterior painting. Use two coats for each paint sample for a better read on the true color of the paint. Keep in mind that the color of your current walls may have some influence over the paint samples. The existing dark hue of the home interior paint may make samples appear warmer or influence the tone while light colors may brighten or cool down the paint sample hues.
Apply Samples to Multiple Walls
Consider the natural lightning in the room you intended to paint. Does it receive plenty of afternoon light from its southern facing windows? You”™ll want to paint sizeable swatches on multiple walls to see how the sun will affect the final color. Perhaps the light filters in through thick shrubbery and trees surrounding the windows. The subsequent green tint could greatly influence the color in the room. While painting samples on multiple walls may add a bit more work, it”™s a sure-fire way to understand how the color will read throughout the entire room.
Set the Lighting
When considering home exterior painting, apply the samples near outside light fixtures, if applicable, to gauge how the paint color might be affected by additional, evening lighting. While the color of your home certainly won”™t pop during the night time, outside lights can dramatically alter the paint”™s appearance.
For home interior painting, ensure that lamps, track lights, or overhead lights are present and turned on when examining paint color samples. The glow of yellow bulbs or the clean, crisp light of white bulbs may affect the overall finish of the paint color samples.
With more than 40 years”™ experience, we”™re confident we can find the right color for your home exterior or interior paint job. We offer a free color consultation and will paint 2”™x2”™ sample swatches in your desired location, letting you live with it a few days before making a decision. To get started, please get in touch with our team of knowledgeable Boulder painters.