Selecting paint colors can be a very tricky and misleading process in design. And, unfortunately, it can be very hard to get it right! A paint color hue is very dependent upon the surrounding source of light and color. Paint will take on the color of the colors of other surrounding items within a space. For example, if there is a blue glass chandelier in the room, the wall color will reflect a bluer hue in the paint color. Similarly, the type of lighting in a space will also affect the color a paint color reads. While fluorescent lighting reflects a blue hue on paint, incandescent lighting reflects more yellow in a paint color. Paint can also read different colors and changes as the sun rises and sets. Always, always, always test a paint color on a wall or other area to see how it reacts throughout a normal day of sunlight, especially in larger spaces.

Pictured Above: Walls: Silvered Fox 2108-50, trim: Chantilly Lace OC-65

Pictured Above: Walls: Silvered Fox 2108-50, trim: Chantilly Lace OC-65

Generally, paints are difficult to select because the paint chip you are choosing from is so small in size. Paint has a base color tone for each color, and most paint colors contain the following base values: yellow, green or blue. For example, some grays can appear more blue and create a purple cast. And what you think might be the simplest selection of all, white paint colors, they can actually be the trickiest some whites consist of yellow or blue.

Examples of white values from Benjamin Moore

Pictured Above: Examples of white values from Benjamin Moore

Cabinet color: Antique Jade 465, Benjamin Moore, Door color: Timothy Straw 2149-40, Benjamin Moore

Pictured Above: Cabinet color: Antique Jade 465, Benjamin Moore, Door color: Timothy Straw 2149-40, Benjamin Moore

At CHD, we are equipped with the knowledge and experience to help you with all these selections. We create paint schedules for our clients and specify the different paint finishes depending on the application. The standard types of finishes are flat, satin, eggshell, semi-gloss and gloss. Flat paint is normally specified on ceilings, eggshell is best for most walls, and semi-gloss is ideal for trim work, cabinetry, chairrails and occasional bathrooms and kitchen walls. Semi-gloss is great for its durable features and cleanability as well as high moisture areas, as it helps to repel water. Gloss is ideal for high traffic areas or on doors since it has the highest durability rating. Semi-gloss and gloss have a high reflectance rate, which means the walls should be perfectly smoothed down before adding a gloss finish.

Color of the Year: guilford green HC-116, Benjamin Moore

Pictured Above: Color of the Year: guilford green HC-116, Benjamin Moore

Never take selecting paint colors lightly. The right paint color is vital in the overall design of any space. Our professionals are delighted to assist you with this process and while we pride ourselves in knowing our paint, just like you, we have learned from our share of mistakes too! Practice makes perfect!