How to PROPERLY Sample Paint Colours
Proper sampling is essential to choosing the right paint colour! It’s crazy how different a colour can look on the wall compared to the chip. This is due to multiple factors including undertone, interreflection, simultaneous contrast, inconstancy… just to name a few! The key is to PROPERLY view LARGE colour samples exactly where they will be installed.
Large-Scale Paint Samples
Peel & Stick Samples
Little paint chips from the store are not adequate — they’re simply too small to provide an accurate sense of the colour. Once you’ve narrowed your selection down, you can order large peel and stick samples directly from Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams, or from a third party like Hello Paint (CA) or Samplize (US).
White Borders
Create a 2-3” white border along three sides of your paint samples. The border is REALLY important because it reduces simultaneous contrast — a visual phenomenon where the appearance of the new sample colour is strongly influenced by the current wall colour.
Once you have your 3 borders, butt the coloured edge up against whatever the new paint will be coordinating with, e.g. trim, fireplace stone, artwork, furniture, etc.
Photo by Shlok Jethwa on Unsplash.
For purchased colour swatches: attach your large sample to a larger piece of white cardstock, aligning the one side of the swatch with an edge of the cardstock.
For painted colour boards: tape off a 2-3” border along three sides of your large poster board, then paint all the way to the edge of the fourth side.
Orientation & Placement
Place your samples EXACTLY where you will be painting. If you’re painting a vertical surface (e.g. walls, cabinets, kitchen island, front door, etc.), tape your samples to that surface perfectly vertically – no leaning! Angle greatly affects light reflection, which changes how a colour looks.
If you’re painting your ceiling: tape your samples to the ceiling; if you’re painting a wood table, lay your sample on the table top; etc.
And very importantly: place your samples right up against your finishes, trim, furniture, etc. — NOT floating in the middle of the wall! Contrary to popular practice, it’s NOT helpful to slap your samples up in the middle of the wall where they’re not relating to anything in your room!
Move Samples Around
It’s normal for paint to change with the light – you just want to confirm you like the colour most of the time. E.g. If you use the room more often at a certain time of day, observe your samples more closely at that time.
NOTE: If you love a colour through the day but dislike it in the evening, you may just need to change your lightbulbs! LED smart bulbs are ideal, letting you adjust brightness AND colour temperature throughout the day. But if you want to keep it simple, choose bulbs with a CRI of at least 90, and a temperature of 3000K for the most flattering and versatile day-to-night light; or go with warmer 2700K bulbs if your lights are primarily used in the evening.
I know choosing paint colours can be stressful, but following these steps will significantly increase your chances of nailing it the first time! Good luck with your project!
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Proper sampling is essential to choosing the right paint colour! It’s crazy how different a colour can look on the wall compared to the chip. The key is to PROPERLY view LARGE colour samples exactly where they will be installed.