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Choosing paint colors can be tough!

There are so many different factors that can affect the overall final color choice. And there are a zillion different shades of the same color! So how can you find the color that you love without wasting tons of time and money on colors that end up not working?

I have SIX tips that I always use when choosing paint colors.

First, a paint color can look completely different in your home… even from one room to the next in your own home based on the direction your home faces, the hard surfaces (such as flooring) and the surrounding items (furniture, curtains, etc.) So while one color may look amazing in someone else’s home it may not work for yours.

Tip number 2: Start with paper swatches. Hang the up. Colors look different when they are on a vertical surface vs. laying flat.

Tip 3: Once you’ve narrowed those paper swatches down, get small sample pots in the colors you are deciding between. Samples are smaller versions of the color you may want and much more cost effective than buying entire gallons!

Tip 4: Paint the samples on pieces of posterboard (on the matte side). Be sure to do two coats. Once dry, you can move it around from space to space of different sides of the room. I like to paint one side of the posterboard all the way to the edge and the other three sides I leave some white border on the edge. Also make sure to write the color name on the back so you don’t forget which color is which.

Tip 5: Hang the samples where you will planning to use them. Put a small rolled up piece of painters tape on the back and you can easily move from place to place with no wall damage… and you won’t have a zillion painted swatches on your actual walls. Look at them in different areas, times of day and different conditions (sunny and cloudy days).

Tip 6: Once you have your choices narrowed down to just a couple, to make sure the color is THE ONE, now is the time to paint a sample on the area it will go… paint it large enough to give you a good visual… I usually paint a foot size swatch on the wall. Paint it next to existing trim work can help make sure it will coordinate with that as well.

You can see the process IN ACTION here:

I hope these tips have helped and can save you time, money and hopefully prevent a bad paint selection on your next painting project.

I hope you’ll come back soon for more tips, DIY’s, home decor and more!