Tools for Choosing Wall Paint Colors

Paint can perform miracles when it comes to the transformation of a room. Often, a simple coat of paint will be enough to give an entire space a facelift. Yet selecting that perfect shade can be a challenge if you don’t know where to turn.

Fan Decks:

These booklets contain color chips of every color a particular paint manufacturer makes. The colors are organized by hue and value, allowing you to easily pick colors that complement each other. You can get one for a few dollars at your local home improvement store.

Large Color Swatches:

You can get a large, 4 1/4 inch by 3 5/8 inch or 8 1/2 inch x 11 inch swatch of a desired color either directly from the home improvement store carrying the color line or via the paint company that created the line. Bring in the strip containing the color chip or write down its name and product number. Take it to the paint department in your home improvement store. If they don’t have a swatch, they can contact the company for you to acquire one. 

Online Color Viewer:

Many paint manufacturers now offer a color viewer on their website. Visit the site of the company that makes the paint you’re interested in and check their color viewing options. Typically they will have a program that will allow you to see the color you want applied to the wall of an actual room, giving you a much better idea of how it will look in your home.