Paint color is a key element in a room! Whether you go neutral, light or bold – getting the paint color just right is essential to a room design.
A “brush-out” is a term that means a sample of the actual paint color painted on a wall or a sample board in the designated room. I recommend this step on every project whether it be an in house client or an online client.
Here is some information on how to make your paint color selection just like an interior designer:
1. Always do a small “brush out” of any paint color prior to painting the entire room. This helps make sure that the color that looks so great on your computer screen or even a paint store swatch will actually look as good on your walls. I recommend painting a brush out even if you really like the color or have seen it before. The reason for this is the light and other elements in a room or home can dramatically change the look of paint colors.
2. Most major paint manufacturers now sell sample size paints. If your color is not available in a sample size you can purchase a quart of each paint color that you are considering using from your local paint store. This may seem like an expensive way to test the color but it is much less costly to pay for a quart of paint than it is to repaint an entire room.
3. Paint a 3’ by 3’ square on the wall and let it dry completely. If you have a dark color already on the wall or you are sampling a deep paint color, you will need to paint several coats on your brush out to ensure that you have the true color. Once the color dries, look at the paint in different lights of the day to really get a true sense of the color. What may look yellow in the morning may look greener in the afternoon light.
4. Take a look at online color viewers. Some of my favorite paint manufacturers have easy to use online tools for painting a sample room online. Take a look at Personal Color Viewer Benjamin Moore and ColorSnap Visualizer by Sherwin-Williams to get started.
Doing this type of color study is the best way to trust that you are going to like a paint color prior to painting an entire room.
