How to Choose the Right Color for a Room Using Paint Samples

It can be hard to visualize how a color will look in a room from a paint swatch, but you can eliminate the guesswork by trying out paint samples. Learn how to choose the right color for a room using paint samples in this Ace hardware video:

Paint samples come in pint containers and can be mixed in a variety of colors. One container will cover about 30-50 square feet. Pint samples come in a satin finish only; however, once you decide on a color, you can choose a satin, eggshell, or semi-gloss sheen.

When it comes to putting color samples on a wall, apply a sufficient amount because you want to see how the color is going to look. If the room has trim or crown molding in a differenct color, it’s a good ideas to take that color and go around it so you can see how the color looks not only on the wall but also against the trim color as well.

For a darker color, you may notice a little bleeding underneath, so you may need to apply a second coat to get the feel of the depth of that color. Depending on the color, you may have to put a little spot primer over the top.

You’ll need to look at the color under different lighting, not only natural lighting during the day and during the night but also from lighting provided by light fixtures in the room. Consider different bulb temperatures in a room when testing color.

Wait 24-48 hours before assessing the color. You want to make sure you “fall in love” with the color so that when it’s time to do the paint project you’ll be happy with the end results.