Showerthought: I always figured paint samples were a waste until my whole room turned out a weird shade of green.

In my experience, seeing that color in full light changed my mind, and now I test every swatch on the wall first.

4 comments

4 Comments

You said you test every swatch on the wall first, which is smart. How long do you leave them up before you decide? I made a mistake once by picking a color right away, but it looked totally different after it dried fully and in the evening light.

charlesr861mo ago

Last year, I picked a color called 'Sea Mist' that looked perfect on the tiny card. I was so confident I skipped testing and painted the whole hallway. It dried into this weird hospital green that made me feel queasy just walking past. My buddy came over and asked if I was trying to match the color of old broccoli. Now I tape up those samples and stare at them for days like they're going to tell me the meaning of life.

taylor_park681mo ago

You are so right about the evening light, that's the real test. I leave mine up for at least three days now to see them in all different weather and light. I once picked a gray that looked perfect at noon, but by sunset it had this weird blue tone that made the whole room feel cold. Watching the color change over a full day is the only way to know for sure.

stella7381mo ago

Why rush such a big choice? I test swatches for a full week, no less. @taylor_park68 nailed it with the evening light thing. I learned from a yellow that turned gross in my kitchen light. Now I watch colors at all times of day. Taking days to decide stops awful mistakes.