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The hack for picking the right paint colour every time

Take the guesswork out of it. - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
  • 11 Sep 2018

It’s no secret that choosing the perfect paint colour can be a tricky experience.

Paint swatches are too small to tell what works best and using a sample pot has its limitations. Unless you paint a test patch on every wall in the house, you’ll never know how it looks in different spots and in different light conditions.

Woman choosing paint colour

Paint swatches can be tricky to use

Getty

That’s where Apartment Therapy writer Chelsea Greenwood Lassman’s genius idea comes in.

Frustrated by her limited options in the past, she was inspired to use a blank canvas as a portable test patch.

She writes, “Inspiration struck: A small blank canvas was the perfect portable way to test different paint colors in various lights in various rooms, both at my current apartment and at my future home.”

She was able to see how her chosen colour and finish looked in different rooms and combined with different flooring.

“It looked great,” she says.

“The end result? We absolutely love it. It’s not too warm, too cold, or too dark … And every time I look at our walls, I thank my handy canvas trick for helping me come to a sound decision.”

Why not try this trick the next time you have to make a decision about paint colour and finish?

You might also like:

The one mistake you make when choosing your paint colour

The paint colour that will add value to your home

How to choose the right white paint

  • Renovating
  • Painting Ideas
Rebecca Lowrey Boyd
Rebecca is the Digital Managing Editor of Better Homes and Gardens.

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