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Getting the Most from Your Paint Samples

How to Choose and Use Paint Samples


Paint samples are a great way to see what the colour will look like before you paint an entire room. They are also useful for seeing what a colour will look like mixed with another, or to compare different colours side by side. Here are some tips and tricks to get the most out of your paint samples.

 
How to Pick the Best Paint Colours for your space


Picking the best paint colours for your space can be difficult. There are so many different factors to consider when picking paint colours, like the colour of your walls, what type of furniture you're using in the room, what mood you want to create. You also need to consider how light affects the room, does it get direct sunlight or is it always in shade, what kind of light fittings and lamps will you have. Once you have an idea on how much light a room will have you can start thinking about whether the space will suit lighter or darker colours.


When picking paint colours, make sure to take your time and order some paint samples. Although you will be keen to start painting we would still recommend taking time with test patches to see if the paint colour matches how you imagined before deciding.  

Stuck for a Colour?


Magazines, Pinterest, Instagram and other social media are great for finding an interior style or colour which you want to achieve. But if you are struggling to know where to start in choosing a colour for a room try and think about the mood you want to create or how you might use the room, do you want a calm and tranquil haven (if so think about colours from nature, greens and blues) or a lively and energizing room (think about brighter colours, reds, oranges, yellows). Another great way to find a starting colour is to find a favourite or treasured object for the room, you can then use its design and colours for inspiration.

Ask friends and family for their opinion – everyone enjoys being involved in choosing paint colours so why not ask friends and family to help you make the final choice. If you don’t want lots of suggestions, you may prefer to ask them when you have narrowed the options down to one or two colours.

Ask the professionals - if you are not sure where to start why not ask us for a quote for our colour consultancy service, during these one hour sessions, one of our experienced designers will work with you to explore the space and recommend a colour. If there is time they will also be able to draw on their knowledge of fabrics, papers and paints available to give you some suggestions.

 

Ordering Paint Samples & Swatches


Order as many paint samples as you need, it is much better to take time to test a few colours than to regret the final colour and have to repaint.


Note that paint samples are usually supplied as an emulsion, so will have a matt paint finish. Keep this in mind if you are looking for a different finish such as a gloss. The general rule is the glossier the finish the lighter the shade of colour will appear.


Eco-friendly paint companies, such as COAT, offer peelable swatches rather than paint pots. These can be great for testing, we recommend ordering a few swatches in your chosen colour so you can test a few areas in the room at the same time, and you can see how the colour reflects itself when used in a corner.

 
Getting the Most from Paint Samples

Our top five tips for getting the most from your paint samples:

  1. Paint a decent sized square of colour – one of the mistakes our decorators often find is when people have not painted a big enough test area and then start having second thoughts about the colour when they see it scaled up to a wall or room.
  2. Paint a sample on each wall – each wall in a room will have different light and shade and this can change the appearance of the paint colour. Once you have narrowed down your choice to one or two colours the best approach is to paint a test spot on each wall/surface which will be painted. Make sure you look at the colour under lots of different lights, check back at different times of the day and try turning lamps and lights on and off.
  3. Paint a test patch in each of the corners of the room – whether you will use the same colour paint on two adjacent walls, or different colours, painting into the corner allows you to see how the colour of the paint is altered by the reflected colour of the adjoining wall.
  4. Paint at least two coats of paint – most paint requires at least two coats of paint. To get a true feel for the colour you will have to paint at least two coats of paint, more if the colour underneath is stronger, to ensure you know what the finished colour will look like.
  5. Paint a sample of paint onto a piece of card or paper – this is a great way to see how the paint works with fabrics, wallpapers and accessories. When the paint card is dry you can hold it up against items already in the room or take it out and about with you to help you choose accessories and fabrics.

Conclusion


We hope this will help you get the most from your paint samples, but for more expert advice why not check out this video from luxury paint brand Little Greene.