How to Find the Best Color for Wall Paint

Choosing a paint color can be a perplexing responsibility. There are so many paint colors to choose from, and you want to use the perfect color in your home. Fortunately, the process of elimination helps you choose a paint color quickly and effectively.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• hardware store
• paint swatches
• home accessory
• painters plastic

1. Visualize the room that you want to paint before you even begin to prepare the area. Remember that dark colors tend to shrink a room way down. For the best results, choose a color palate that is soft and isn't overly dark or bright.

2. Take a home accessory that you really like with you when you go to the paint store or hardware store to look at paint swatches. Choose an accessory that has a blend of colors that match the palate of your home decor. Customer service representatives at local stores don't usually mind a bit if you bring a special item from home.

3. Select multiple color swatches rather than one or two and bring them home before you ever decide on a color. Hold the color swatch up to the walls and next to your home accessories to see which color seems to look the best. If you have a shirt or coat that is a similar color, use it to compare your walls and home decorations. A larger surface will give you a better idea since a paint swatch is so small.

4. Buy a large piece of poster board or cardboard about three feet by two feet and paint the entire area with your new paint color. Let the sample dry for several hours and then hold it up next to your walls and accessories. This will give you a good idea as to what the final paint on the walls will look like.

Tips & Warnings

• Dry paint is never the same color as the paint in the can. It is typically slightly darker once it has dried.
• Adequately cover your furniture and flooring with plastic to avoid unwanted spills.