Why Choosing Paint Color is So Difficult for Homeowners
Have you ever chosen the perfect paint color… that you realized wasn’t so perfect after you spent the time and money to paint it all over your walls? You are not alone.
As with most aspects of interior design, color is much more technical than the average person realizes. Simply put, there’s a reason artists and designers spend entire semesters at the college level mixing paint colors and learning about color properties.
The following are some of the least considered factors influencing your color selection:
Surrounding Color:
In general, the surrounding color makes the eye “read” color differently. That lovely muted green for your spa-like bathroom is going to look very different when it’s on your walls next to the trim paint versus the way it looked on the page of the paint deck next to other greens. For this reason, many folks find it really helpful to paint large swatches on their walls when testing out paint colors. (I tend to prefer this method of testing color as well.)
Type of lighting:
Natural light tends to give the eye a “truer” sense of the color, whereas artificial lighting will impart blue/green or yellow/orange depending on the type and the color of the bulb. Which brings me to…
Light Bulb Color:
The color of your light bulb matters significantly. The color of light bulbs is measured in Kelvin (K), and it will make everything in your home, including your wall paint, look more blue/green or yellow/orange depending on the level. In the interiors I design, I like to use either 2700K or 3000K bulbs for kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, common rooms, living rooms, hallways, libraries, offices, theaters, cellars, and other flex spaces. If I need one of those spaces to be “brighter,” instead of upping the kelvin level, I install more lighting or up the wattage level of the bulbs (assuming the light fixture can safely support higher wattage). Utilitarian rooms such as the laundry room, garage, or workshop can have a higher kelvin level of about 4000K and will be “cooler” under this lighting.
Windows:
Glass usually has a green tint to it. Next time you drive by a new home or a home undergoing renovations, take a look at the windows. You’ll probably notice it right away. (Especially if the windows are all leaning together against a wall). What does this mean for interior products and finishes? Well, if the room is of average size with a single window, there’s probably not much of an impact, at least to the untrained eye. But if you have a wall of windows, we look very carefully at the products and finishes to make sure that they don’t end up looking too cold.
Surrounding Elements:
This is probably the most unexpected and frustrating influence on wall color. I frequently see a surprised look on homeowners' faces when I show them where a wall color is picking up color from the exteriors. And then they can’t “un-see” it. If the home is fairly close to their neighbor, such as in a subdivision, their neighbor’s house or roof color is usually the most influential factor. The color of your own exterior walls and roof can also come into play. Other exterior factors that influence your wall color include architectural features, water features, and furniture and decor directly outside the window.
If all of this has you feeling overwhelmed, MBI is here for you. Color selection is a very common frustration for homeowners. I’d even go so far as to say it's THE most common frustration for homeowners. It’s so much more complicated than most people expect it to be.
For this reason, I offer color selection services that include testing colors on-site the same day. So, if you’d like to finally find a paint color that looks spectacular, please reach out. You can click here to book a call and tell me about the room you need help choosing paint for. You can also click here to learn more about design services.
Until then,
MB