Choosing Paint for the Color-Challenged Homeowner

Paint is the least expensive upgrade for your home but picking the right paint color can be an exercise in frustration, especially if you are color-challenged. I didn't KNOW I was color-challenged until I had two painting disasters within a relatively short period of time.

Painting disaster #1: I chose a new trim color for the exterior of our home. The color matched the tones in the stone archway perfectly on that little swatch (I also assumed the painter would tell me if I was way off base). Fortunately, my husband forgot something and drove home before the painting progressed too far. He called me and said, "Did you actually PICK this color?" A new color was quickly chosen and a new batch of paint purchased.

Painting disaster #2: My husband and I decided to create home gym. I thought I would surprise him and paint the room a subtle "man cave" gray. Learning from Disaster #1, I even purchased a small can and test painted a swatch on the wall. Even THAT wasn't enough. When the room was entirely painted - with two coats - the lavendar base color of the gray paint became very obvious. Seriously, it looked like I painted a a single coat of gray paint over "girly" lavendar walls. Even though I like to paint (I find it cathartic), I don't like to repaint the same project multiple times!

I learned my lesson. Choosing paint color requires you to:

1. Get an Interior Design degree in Color Wheel with emphasis in hue and tone,
   
2. Hire a color consultant OR,
   
3. Pick a paint palette that does the color matching for you!

I have found two manufacturers that suit Option #3 for color-challenged, do-it-yourself homeowners. All of the colors in these lines can be coordinated because the underlying "hue" is the same. The first is Devine Color, a luxurious collection that looks downright rich and delicious on your walls. The paint is a bit odd at first because it has the texture of yogurt. The second is the Affinity collection by Benjamin Moore which has the additional bonus of being Greenguard Certified as a low-emitting product.

Happy Painting!