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Take the guesswork out of choosing paint colors with these easy steps, using color swatches as your guide.
Paint swatches can be overwhelming when you’re facing a giant selection at the store.
Credit: Carson Downing
Here are our expert, no-fail tricks topick the perfect paint colorusing swatches or paint chips.
Keep an open mind; you never know which one will end up as your final pick.
You might consider highlighting a color from a throw pillow or drapes to tie the room together.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Narrow your choices to two or three colors.
Chips that show coordinating colors are especially helpful.
They suggestwhat shade of bluewould look good with your walnut dining table and ecru curtains.
Credit: Emily Followill
On a paint strip, all of the colors are variations of the same formula.
They share the same undertones but have different intensities.
The very bottom color will give you the best idea of the undertone and color family.
Be cautious of comparing two swatches next to one another.
They might look similar on paper but reveal their true hue when standing alone.
If you do want to compare similar colors, opt totest a larger section of both on the wall.
Test Paint Colors on Your Wall
Back in the paint aisle, ask forsample amounts of your favorite colors.
Most companies offer small containers, which might cost a few dollars.
If you’re considering several paint colors, this can add up, but it’s a worthy investment.
Nothing will help you choose a color better than seeing the hue applied to the wall.
Take the samples home and brush them on the walls of your room.
Paint broad sections of the wall at eye level.
The larger the section the better to evaluate the color, so don’t be shy.
Live with these splashes on the wall for a little while to see how they look on different days.
How the colors look at night in the glow of your lamps is also something to test.
Now that you’ve done your homework, all that’s left to do ispaint your walls!
