Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Wall Paint Colors

Perhaps one of the hardest design decisions to make when renovating is picking out a wall color live with for years. Most of the time, imagining how the color will look once brushed across an entire wall is not easy especially when we only have tiny paint chip as a sample. And another mistake we tend to do is not envisioning how the hue might change in varying types of light. The simplest way to prevent it from happening is carefully testing out paint swatches before buying a gallon, since the human brain is pretty bad at imagining how a paint color will look. To learn the right way to pick out paint colors—and the mistakes to avoid—we asked interior and exterior house painters. According to the experts, below are 7 common mistakes people make when choosing paint colors, plus what to do instead.

Making the Decision Too Quickly

It might take sometimes, but it is recommended to wait a few days to decide between paint swatches. The reason behind that tips is not because you may change your mind over time (although that’s a definite possibility), but because waiting allows you to see the color changes with the light throughout the day. Any color will look different on a cloudy day versus a sunny day.

Placing Samples Right Next to Each Other

Even though, we highly you to sample multiple color options but you need to avoid painting the samples right next to each other on the same wall. By painting them close to each other, you will get distracted and having harder time to make a clear choice.

Not Considering the Furniture & Decor

You should not test swatches in a completely empty room. Place some furniture and decor in the room as you select a paint color. It will help you to imagine how the hue works with the other colors in the space.

Not Considering the Undertone

When you’re looking at various shades of white paint, some appear to contain a hint of yellow, while others appear slightly blue. That subtle underlying color is called the undertone. Comparing similar shades that have different undertones, warmer or cooler might help to determine the best color for your room.

Choosing Too Many Paint Colors

While you shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with multiple colors, adding too many paint colors to the same room can be distracting. As rule of thumb, stick to 2 – 3 main colors.