If you’ve ever painted your own home, you know that paint chips aren’t always a perfect indication of how the paint colour will look on your walls. From changes in lighting to tricks our brain plays, there are a handful of reasons why your paint colours look different than you expected. Luckily, with a few expert tips and tricks you can easily avoid this disappointment. So let’s break down the factors that impact paint colours and how you can work with those factors to achieve the desired outcome.
Lighting Plays A Major Role
Lighting is the main reason your paint colour may appear different than you expected. For starters, the lighting in a big department store is likely far different than the lighting you have at home. This is why it’s best to bring your paint chips home and look at them in their natural environment. The location of your windows, time of day, and amount of natural light received will also play a role. For example, north-facing windows are known to let in soft light which causes a warming effect. With north-facing windows, all colours will appear darker and warm-tinted.
Your Brain Plays Tricks On You
When it comes to colours, metamerism refers to a “perceived matching of colours with different (nonmatching) spectral power distributions.” Basically, this means that certain colours, when placed beside each other can look identical, even though they aren’t. This can occur when you’re holding paint chips up to your already painted walls–changing your perception of the actual appearance of said colour.
Beginner Painter Errors
If you’re new to painting, the process can be a touch overwhelming and it’s easy to make a few beginner painting errors. Let’s discuss a few of these errors and how they can affect the appearance of paint.
Wet Paint vs Dry Paint
If you’re looking at wet paint on your walls, don’t panic. Paint commonly looks lighter when it’s still wet. So be sure to wait for the walls to fully dry before casting any judgment.
Too Few Coats
One coat of paint on any wall will never be enough for the true colour to shine through. Any less than two coats of paint will leave you with proper coverage and a seamless look.
Forgetting Primer
It’s never advisable to paint without first priming the walls. Painting without it can result in the old wall colour shining through, or the colour you choose looking less vibrant.
Avoid Disappointment By Working With A Pro
The best way to ensure your paint job looks exactly how you imagined it is to work with a professional painting team. At Encore Painting we work with you every step of the way to ensure you’re satisfied with the job. Book a colour consultation with our designer who will access your project and give you a clear vision of the finished results. Take the hard work off of your plate and let us handle it all. Ready to get started? Fill out our form today and receive a free quote for your next dream project.