Would you like to learn how to see house paint colors with a decorator's eye? Then stick around and explore our guides below...
Did you know that about 40 percent of all paint purchases are made as a result of an original color mistake? If you don't want to contribute to this statistics, learn about the factors that affect your final paint color results.
The guides below will teach you how to properly test paint colors in the natural and artificial lighting of your home. You will also learn about the right processes, tricks and potential pitfalls when it comes to matching and coordinating paint colors.
And if you find yourself still struggling after going through all these tutorials, ask for help in our "Paint Colors Critique Corner".
But if you're in a rush, check out the Paint Color Cheat Sheets before you do anything else - all the stress related to choosing paint colors and the fear of making a color mistake will be a thing of the past!
Interior Wall Paint Colors and Light
Have you ever noticed how some house paint colors can drastically change appearance and look very different in the morning than in the afternoon? Learn how natural and artificial light sources affects your wall colors and how to combat that.
Why Your Wall Paint Color May Look Weird
Find out what's crampin' your wall color style - it can be the lighting playing tricks on your house paint color, a reflection of another hue being cast on the surface, the undercoat peeking through the topcoat, or a mistake on your (or the paint store's) part.
Tweaking and Matching Paint Colors
Trying to find just the perfect shade for painting your space? Here are the 3 main things you can tweak in a house paint color - increase or decrease its value, crank up or tone down its intensity, or shift its undertone...
Matching Paint Color Undertones: Why Do It?
When ignored or poorly matched, house paint color undertones can create real dissonance in your home color scheme and make your design elements look odd and unrelated. See for yourself why undertones are such a big deal in color design.
Interior Paint Color Undertones - part 1
Did you know that most paint colors have a hint of other hue to them (often visible only to professional color experts who are trained to detect such subtle nuances of color)? Let's see what undertones actuallyare, and why they are so important...
House Paint Color Undertones - part 2
Learn why colors have undertones, and how to actually see them by comparing similar shades, spreading the paint color thinly to see its base, or viewing the colors in question next to their complements (on the color wheel).
Beige Paint Color Undertones
Beige is tricky to work with because of its undertones. This neutral comes in 3 "flavors" - yellowish, greenish, or pinkish. In this tutorials you will learn how to easily tell which variety of beige you are dealing with.
Interior House Paint Colors: Temperature and Weight
Chances are, it never occurred to you to arrange the colors in a room based on their temperature or weight. Too bad, because knowing about these aspects of color can really help you balance out and fix any lopsided color palette.
Instructions for Color Matching Paint
There are only 2 methods you can use when you need to re-create your existing wall color exactly - matching the color by eye (which can be extremely difficult to do accurately, even for professionals), or using a paint store scanner to replicate the color (a free service in all paint stores).
Tips for Paint Color Matching
Tips and tricks of the trade to help you find that perfect match: we'll cover the right lighting you should use when matching colors, the correct position when holding paint swatches against different surfaces, and the importance of getting undertones right.
When to Use a Paint Color Wheel
A color wheel can come in really handy when you need to come up with ideas for color combinations, but it won't help you zoom in on that perfect shade (it's not cut for the job). Soo... what do you think of the color circle - is it a helpful tool or just a pretty coaster? You decide.
Paint Color Mixing Chart
It all starts with 3 primary colors: red, yellow and blue. In the end, you get secondary, tertiary, intermediate and quaternary colors - all created by mixing the resulting colors in different proportions.
The ABC's of Mixing Paint Colors
Learn how to extend color and make tints (by adding white), shades (by adding black) and tones (by adding gray or a complementary hue) to create hundreds of additional color variations.
How to Mix Custom Paint Colors
If the house paint color you bought (or found in your garage) looks wrong, why don't you fix it instead of dumping it? We'll show you how to lighten, darken, intensify or tone down (neutralize) any color, or even change the hue completely.
Where NOT to Paint Sample Colors
Are you still testing colors on the walls? Stop! The existing wall color will interfere with your perception of the new color you are testing, and often will only confuse you and lead you to a less than optimal choice.
Large Paint Color Chips are a Must
What's the big deal with oversized paint color chips? They make the color selection and testing process so much easier and more foolproof, that's what! No wonder it's the preferred method of most design and paint professionals.
How to Make Large Paint Color Swatches
So, are you convinced that it's much easier to arrive at the right color with the help of oversized paint color swatches and want to give this method a try? Here are the step-by-step instructions and photographs of the process.
How to Use Color Paint Chips
In a nutshell: start small (use the regular small paint chips in a paint deck to narrow down your color options to no more than 5 shades), and finish big (painting some sample boards and testing the colors in different light will help reveal the final "keeper").
2 Unusual Ways of Using Interior Paint Color Samples
Here are 2 interesting ways to zoom in on that perfect wall color: the first is to use a 3-dimensional object for testing the colors (like a cardboard box). The second is to check if the wall color you are considering is flattering to your skin tone.
Why You Should Test Color in the Home
If you don't want to make a silly color mistake and waste time and money correcting it, always test the colors before committing. But first, see what factors may influence the final paint color result.
Where Do You Choose Paint Colors for House Painting?
Why is it a bad idea to pick paint colors in a store? Primarily because of the fluorescent lighting that can distort the colors and cause you to buy a wrong shade, and the lack of context.
Do's and Dont's of Using Paint Color Samples
Kudos to you if you are conscientious enough to test the house paint colors first before finalizing them for your project. But are you sure you are using the correct process? Heres' a list of good and bad practices when selecting paint colors with the help of samples.
Color Terminology - part 1
Learn how to understand and speak the language of color like a pro. In this part, we'll demystify the meaning of mass tones, active colors, native colors, double-split complementary combinations and other equally fascinating terms.
Color Terms - part 2
Color glossary continued. In part 2, you'll learn what subtractive refers to, and what value, weight and undertone really mean. Hearing designers talk about color will start to make more sense now!
Decorating, Paint Colors and Your Taste
See what constitues a good taste and style. Also, learn the difference between a fad, a trend and a style (hint: it has to do with the speed of its emergence and what preceeded it).
Painting and Decorating: It's a Self-Discovery Tool
While decorating with paint, you get to learn so much about yourself! For example, whether you are a follower or a trend setter, if you are trying to fit in or stand out, and who you are trying to impress with all your painting and decorating efforts.