How To Test Wall Colors
07/14/2008 01:20 PM by Gretchen Schauffler
Testing paint colors on your walls is very important before you paint. When the color you imagine takes an unexpected turn and becomes a color you didn’t expect, disappointment and disbelief are sure to follow. So how you test wall colors is just as important as why you choose it.
Wall color has the power to affect all other colors in a room, positively or negatively, through its sheer size and coverage. Because of this, it has the difficult task of balancing the subtle colors of enduring features like wood floors with the trivial colors of ever-changing items such as placemats or flowers, to make it all look beautiful.Color Disaster strikes if you introduce a room to a wall color that fails to balance the enduring and changing features of the room.
The best way to test wall colors on a new wall color is to find a spot in the home where you can wrap your peripheral vision around the colors that already exist there.
Make sure you can see lots of colors in the room, and in other rooms as well (like a family room where you can see the kitchen.) Stake out two places on a wall where you can test several paint colors in 1’x1’ squares. One place must have a lot of light. The other should have more shadow—in a corner, perhaps. This lets you see how light or dark the color can get, without having to wait days to see it in different light. Paint a white border around and in between your squares. (If the wall is already white, you are good to go.) Make sure the squares have a solid coat, so you can clearly see the color depth.
Test at least three colors that you think will work—people do better with multiple-choice questions. Using Mini-Paint Pouches™, or other paint jars on the market, can be an economical way to do this. Once you narrow you decision the one you think is a winner, either get Devine Color Paint Pages (our 8×11 color sheets) of paint, or paint a sample of the color on card stock.
You can then move the color from room to room to make sure that it continues to have the balance you are looking for.
Take the pages with you when you shop for more color so you don’t have to rely on your memory to recall and describe the wall colors in your home. Describing color can be confusing and with Devine even more so—they are complex. What I mean by that is that they cannot simply be described as “bright” red or “marigold yellow”. As an example, Devine Spice™ is a burnt golden-red color with hints of rich olive and a pinch of ground cinnamon. So it is best to have the actual color handy after you have painted!
Read More about Testing Colors Before You Paint
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I used Goslin on the exterior body of my house and I like it, but I can’t find a trim color to look good with it. I have an old portland/bungalow style house (1919) that has alot of trees and garden around it. Any suggestions? Thank-you.
— julie marston 09/30/2008 11:27 AM #
I am so glad you painted with devinegreen: Gosling, can you send us pictures? We would love them! In the meantime, Devine Icing would be a fantastic pop, or for High beautiful Drama, what about Devine Piping or devinegreen: Penguin! How brave do you want to be, Take a look at Devine Spice, or Devine Sangria, devinegreen: Mantis or Peacock! I know its a leap! We hope to come out with exterior paint soon. For now, at the end of this year you will be happy to know we are coming our with the new Devine outDOORcolor™ paint for exterior doors, shutters and trim (15 new colors) and the new Devine Smooth Gloss™ Finish for trim and cabinets that goes on like glass. You will go crazy for these products!
Good luck!
— gretchen Schauffler 09/30/2008 03:53 PM #
Hi Gretchen,
Please tell me the Devine colors that are used in the rooms under “how to test wall colors” 7/14/08. I love those colors and I am thinking of painting my large dining room the yellowish color. I have a wooden fire place in the room and large moldings on the floor and the ceiling. currently all of the woodwork is white and so is the ceiling. Since I have alot of red in the room I am leary of the red ceiling as shown in the pictures. I was wondering if you thought painting the walls the yellow color and the celing molding either red or black would work (leaving everything else white).
Thanks,
— shelley eisenberg 10/29/2008 05:36 PM #
Shelly:
Because computer screens vary, the actual color used in this home is in the range of Devine Maple, Devine Butter, Devine Honey, or devinegreen: Chicken. If you want to explore more neutral options, check out yellow neutrals like Devine Sand, Devine Peanut or Devine Oat.
A black crown molding would be beautiful! We are launching a new product Devine Smooth Semi-Gloss that goes on like glass and comes in a couple of our perfect black shades. This product will be out next month. As far as the ceiling, you know what I think, unless you have a lot of white in the room in fabrics or accessories, it will look like a white sheet overhead.
So either carry the same yellow above, try cutting the color by a third. If it’s not enough of a difference, cut in a third again. You can try devinegreen: Orchid or Devine Custard as lighter compliments. We look forward to your update on your final choices! Please send us pictures if you can! We love to inspire….
— gretchen Schauffler 10/30/2008 09:56 AM #