5 Mistakes You’re Making When Choosing Wall Colors (And What to do Instead)
“I chose the perfect paint color on the first shot” — said no one ever.
No one finds the right color on the first try, and there are ways to mitigate the frustration if you’re going to choose paint colors to refresh your home today and I’m going to share them with you as both someone who has been in your exact shoes and is now a professional color consultant in the Seattle area..
You’re choosing a popular color
Most of us don’t have vast knowledge of paint colors, so we default to what our friends and family have used as well as what we hear is more popular, especially when it comes to neutral paints.
But a popular color doesn’t not mean versatile, or what it’ll look good in your space.
You’re assuming what’s on Pinterest and Tiktok will look the same on your walls
I know you know this one all too well. If I had a dollar for every color on Tiktok that had me running to the paint store, I’d probably have at least 30 dollars.
But here’s the thing, that room on TikTok likely had different lighting, furniture, architecture and other surrounding colors to give it that exact look.
You might have been going for bright and airy, and saw a home with large windows facing east in the morning. But your specific room has one window and doesn’t get direct sunlight so your warm white turned yellow and chalky.
It’s important when you’re doing your search that you’re seeing if some of those other elements (especially lighting) is playing a role and if that home reflects something similar to yours.
You’re not considering LRV
If you’ve ever painted a wall sample and felt like it was either too dark or too light, then you need to familiarize yourself with LRV, which essentially means how much a color absorbs or reflects like, and it’ll explain why it’s been so hard to pick a color with the right LRV for your home.
For example, a paint color with an LRV of 20 or less will be pretty dark, while a paint color with an LRV of 80 or higher (up to 100) will be bright.
In my experience, the sweet spot is 55-69. It’s not too light or dark, can work in most spaces and feels fresh.
You’re not matching your wall color to what’s in the room.
This pivots off of point #1 in that many people are choosing popular neutral colors and not considering if they actually match what’s in the room. In some cases, certain undertones will clash (like orange and pink) or warm or cool toned. So you’ll end up choosing a warm-toned paint color that accentuates all the coolness in the room, and make it feel off.
The key is to take inventory of your space, and see what undertones or whether they’re warm or cool and start from there. This will help the room feel more cohesive and harmonious.
You didn’t paint enough of a sample on the wall
Maybe you thought that small 3.5×4” sample at Sherwin Williams was enough to gauge, or maybe you actually did paint the walls, but just a tiny section. That’s going to give you an idea, but you want to make sure you’re doing enough that you can start to see how the color works in your space, not just the color itself. I’d try to paint 4×4 feet if possible.
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I hope these suggestions will help you on your journey to choosing the perfect paint colors for your space. If you’re in the Seattle area and want to work with me, visit my booking page here.