One thing homeowners often forget (myself included), is that understanding how to choose a paint colour is as much of a practical task, as it is a personal preference.
While paint trends can steer you in terms of which colours might work in certain rooms, what they are unlikely to do is to go into greater detail as to the other elements that can impact how a colour actually looks on your walls.
Having moved over 20 times in the last 30 years, and therefore having decorated more than my fair share of walls, these are the hard and fast rules I follow when choosing a paint colour – as well as the ways not to choose one.
Article continues below1. Never trust a paint label
Seasoned renovators amongst you will no doubt be shaking your heads in disbelief that I did this, but on a few early occasions I'll admit to buying paint in a hurry and assuming it would look like it did on the tin. A rookie error that's easy to make, but one that resulted in my 'tomato soup' orange hallway walls being a talking point for years. For clarity, I thought the shade shown on the tin was red which was a bold enough choice in itself, but the final colour on the walls was far from red.
Did I change it? I actually didn't. I ended up keeping it and working the rest of my hallway decor ideas around it as it was pretty striking – although there was often a request for sunglasses as visitors walked through the doors.
The lesson? Labels are purely an indicator, as are paint chip cards. What may look like the perfect chalky white can suddenly show up as grey or cream once applied to the wall. And don't even get me started on creams that end up being yellow once they are applied and have dried. A label is not to be trusted. Treat it more as a name card to confirm you have purchased the right tin of paint instead.
2. Always test the colour on every wall in a room
While this may sound like common-sense, hear me out. It can be easy to pop a tester pot on one wall in your room and assume that it works (more on tester pots coming up). But the reality is, each wall will face a different direction, and therefore receive a different amount of light. And light, is without doubt, the biggest influence on how a paint colour is seen by the human eye.
As a trained photographer, I know that light impacts everything we see and can fundamentally change how we perceive a shade or tone. Not convinced? Stand in front of a window with natural light and take a selfie. Turn around and take the same image. In the one where natural light shines on you, your skin tone will appear lighter and you'll look refreshed. Turn around and you'll either see your tone looking more sallow, shadows will appear and you may have a totally different hue depending on the rest of the colours in the room.
It's no different with the paint you put on your walls. So don't just rely on seeing your chosen shade on one wall – you need to try it on them all. And also on your ceiling if you're choosing to colour drench. The same goes if colour capping is your approach. Test the paint everywhere it will be used.
3. Check the colour during the day, night and under different types of light
Staying on the subject of light, I'd also recommend only finalising your paint colour once you've viewed it in a variety of different lights. Natural light may form your daytime view, but can also be tempered by the use of window coverings such as blinds or curtains.
At night, as well as there being no natural light, you'll also find the colour changes under artificial light and this may influence whether you opt for cool or warm temperature bulbs. In many rooms such as bedrooms and living rooms, a warm tone will generally give the space a nicer feel, but in more practical spaces such as kitchens or utility rooms, a cooler light may feel more illuminating.
If your ceiling lighting is in place, see how the colour looks at night with it switched on, and if you've got table or floor lamps ready to put in situ, don't be afraid to get them out of the box and test them with paint samples on your walls. I'd say this is particularly important in living rooms, dining rooms and in kitchen diners where you may spend a lot of time under artificial light.
4. Be careful how you apply your tester pot
Even though from the advice so far it's clear that choosing a paint colour involves spending time living with your preferred shade for longer than 10 minutes, it's also important to appreciate that there's a checklist of dos and don'ts when it comes to using tester pots too.
While this won't apply to every room or wall that you're choosing a new colour for, do bear in mind the following when using a tester pot.
- What is the current colour of your wall? Will the colour underneath affect the one you're putting on top?
- Do you need to add more than one coat to get an accurate colour? If so, be warned that this may leave visible marks when it comes to painting over it. Or, even influence a different colour if you decide that it was the wrong shade and need to choose a new one. If you test a dark shade and then opt for a lighter one for example, you'll need to trial it in a different area – or paint over the discarded choice in a neutral shade to start again from scratch.
- Is the tester pot in the right finish? If you want matt, get a matt tester pot. Any other finish will have a small or more obvious sheen which will react differently to light than a matt finish.
Are stick-on paint swatches a better idea?
Given there are a number of variables that will potentially change how a colour looks on your walls, but the larger the test area, the better feeling you will get for how the paint looks, are stick-on paint swatches a better idea?
I've tried them and I'd say they certainly are handy if you want to avoid covering up random squares of colour on your walls with your chosen shade. Likewise, they can be moved around a room giving you the chance to test how the colour looks in different lights. However, they are still fairly small in size and can be tricky if you are choosing a vibrant or more distinctive colour.
Another alternative is to buy a cheap roll of lining paper, cut large lengths, paint on these and temporarily attach them to your walls with tape. While the colour of the paper may not match what's on your walls, if you're painting directly over a mist coat it can prevent you marking your new walls. Just don't forget to apply more than one coat to get a true indication of the final tone.
5. Don't forget to test it against furniture and fixtures
The final way I make sure I'm choosing the right paint colour? Paint a piece of lining paper and carry it around with you when selecting fixtures and fittings, or buying furniture and flooring.
There's a reason interior designers swear by moodboards. You can't view each element of your interior in isolation. They all have to marry together if you want an end result that's cohesive and considered. Even an eclectic interior style, where patterns, colours and styles are seemingly thrown together are usually the result of a clever blending process. It may be invisible to the untrained eye, but it's rare for there not to be threads that bind it all together.
So don't pick large items or your flooring without your paint to hand. One shade lighter or darker can make all the difference to choosing the right or wrong paint colour in your home.
The best painting tools for applying your new paint colours
I've used these paintbrushes for years and love how light and easy they are to use when painting walls, ceilings or woodwork
I'm not always the neatest of painters so like to have a tub of wipes to hand to clear up any mistakes or spills easily
Prepping walls with sugar soap before painting is a must. This pack comes with two concentrated solutions and a cleaning cloth
Do the experts agree?
Keen to see if there are any other tips and tricks you can employ when choosing a paint colour? Here's what two paint experts recommend. As well as recommending the techniques I've learnt over time, they also have some other pointers you might want to bear in mind.
Jon Mee, Technical Advisor at Earthborn
1. Test the colour properly
“Dry paint will often look different to when the paint is wet, so testing your paint in the room first will save on effort, money and time if you decide later you don’t like the colour. If testing on your walls, ensure you’re painting a thick enough layer. Paint your chosen colour on to an A4 card and move it around the room to test it in different lights.”
2. Choose the right finish
“Ensuring you opt for the right kind of paint is essential to achieving a high-quality and suitable finish for your chosen room. Claypaint is breathable and offers an ultra-matt finish, covering walls very well. This finish is ideal for older homes or lime plastered surfaces in particular, but it is very amenable for a variation of rooms. A Lifestyle emulsion is better for rooms that need paintwork to be washable or easier to wipe down and maintain such as hallways or children’s room.”
3. Think beyond the colour
“When choosing a paint, there are certain steps you can take to benefit those that suffer from allergies or asthma; this is especially important in households with children or pets as both can be susceptible to these risks. Virtually VOC-free paints emit negative ions which are known to provide health and wellbeing benefits for allergy sufferers. Even after the paint has dried, people can suffer, so it is important to choose paints that will reduce the likelihood of this.”
Jon Mee is Earthborn’s Technical Advisor. He has worked in the interiors and decorating industry for over five years and is an expert on decorating techniques and materials.
Jen Devaney, Frenchic Paint’s Colour Consultant
"Test colours in real light at different times of day. And trust your body," says Jen. "What is your first reaction when you look at the colour? When choosing the perfect paint colour, think about the mood and the purpose. Not just the function of the room but how you want to feel in it.
"Narrow it down to a few options and then test large patches on the wall," she continues. "Live with them. Watch them shift in different light and moments. Let the right colour choose you not the other way around. Also avoid choosing colours in isolation, without thinking about how they interact with the space.
"Make sure you don't go too cool in north-facing rooms," adds Jen, noting how choosing a paint colour correctly applies to painted furniture choices too. "It’s important to note whether the cupboards, for example, will serve as an accent colour, or are the main colours. Make sure, if they’re an accent colour, the cupboard colour works with the wider room as well."
Jen Devaney is a colour consultant for Frenchic Paint and the leading force behind interior design consultancy, The House Alchemist.
In summary, understanding on a practical level how to choose a paint colour involves taking into account light, location, how you use the room and what else will be in the room with the paint colour.
Not sure where to start in terms of what colours you want to test? Start by reading the advice in the best colours for a bedroom, and find out what experts suggest is the the best colour for a living room.
