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I made a rookie mistake. In my extreme haste to get a house project done, I chose a paint color based on a swatch. Guess what, I’m not happy with it. The thing is I know better. I should’ve gotten a sample can, then I would’ve seen it…the pink undertone that did not quite show up on the swatch. Insert hand smacking forehead emoji.

I’m letting you in on this secret to save you from making the same mistake. Get a sample can.

For most people, choosing a paint color is a pain. It usually goes something like this…you see a color you love on Pinterest, you purchase a gallon, slap it on your walls, and then cringe at the results, along with thinking about the money you just wasted on a paint color that you now hate. Am I right?

This just illustrates my point that #1 you can’t trust pictures and #2 you must purchase a sample if you want to get a real idea of what a specific color will look like on your walls.

Paint color is all about lighting. You can’t replicate a paint color in a picture unless you have the exact same lighting in your room. Let me tell you, the odds of that are very slim. Jessica Bennet from Alice Lane Home came up with a great analogy on her podcast a few weeks ago. She said choosing a paint color from a picture is like asking a friend for her foundation color when you have a totally different skin tone.

Paint is tricky because just like foundation, it has an undertone. Some colors have a green undertone, some have a yellow undertone, a blue undertone, etc. this will dictate how the color looks on your wall.

The best case scenario in choosing a paint color, means doing so after you have purchased a rug. For instance, if you want to accentuate the teal color in your rug, you will be happiest with a blue (or gray) paint that has a green undertone. A blue paint color with a purple undertone in that room will drive you crazy! You will most likely hate the outcome.

Believe it or not, another risky move is to get a paint color made by one company, but mixed by another. What I mean by this is purchasing a sample can from Ben Moore, deciding that you love the color, then getting a gallon of it mixed by Home Depot.

It will not be the same. Very similar, yes, the exact same? No. A friend of mine made this mistake and then had to live with it for a while, much to her chagrin. I have no problem with purchasing paint from Home Depot, or Lowes, but to ensure the best results: buy your sample can at the store that you’re ultimately going to purchase the paint from.

The ideal situation looks like this:

Step 1- Bring home some swatch cards from Ben Moore/Sherwin Williams, etc. and tape them on your walls. On serval walls actually, the lighting will look different on each wall depending on which sides get more sunlight.

Step 2- Narrow it down to a few favorites.

Step 3- Decide which brand of paint you want to use (Ben Moore, Sherwin, Behr, Valspar…) and purchase a sample can from that store.

Step 4- Paint some swatches on your walls, or on different foam boards that you can move around the room from wall to wall.

Step 5- Stalk the swatches. Take a peak each time the daylight changes: in the morning, afternoon, and evening hours.

Step 6- Pick a favorite (persuade your spouse) and go for it!

Following these steps will help to ensure that you end up with a paint color that looks just the way you envisioned.

Check out this post, or this one, for more important tips on choosing the perfect paint colors for your home.

Okay, that’s all for this week! I’ll be back next week with more tips and tricks that will get one you one step closer to a home you love!

Meanwhile come hang out with me on Instagram, and of, course subscribe below for weekly updates!