Hi Jamaraz,

I'm not a color expert but I think I have a pretty good idea of how this works. I usually us BM paints.

Yes, all the colors on a regular BM paint chip card do work together. They are lighter and darker versions of the same color.

As far as the HC (historical colors) go, they do not necessarily match. They are just a collection of colors.

The AC (America's Colors) colors are another collection that do not match.

Hope this helps.

Dawn

How are paint chip cards put together?

Paint color ordering systems are organized (and sometimes coded) to the advantage of paint manufacturers/stores. The order of the colors or strips is simply organized, not ordered in a way that actually means something to the end users of the color chips/fans. Simply put, the way colors and strips of colors are assembled isn't necessarily going to help you.

The fact that the HC and AC colors are arranged in a more disparate order really is not an issue because the other colors that *look* more organized, really are not organized to help you any way -- it does not matter in the grand scheme of paint color choosing.

I am painting my whole first floor. Can I in theory take any random card and paint each room a different color on one card and they will all automatically go together?

In theory? Maybe. But not guaranteed -- at all.

If you are painting the whole first floor, you have different qualities of light to deal with. One strip of colors that look fabulous in your south facing family room/kitchen could look completely horrid in your north facing formal dining and living rooms. The light is boss.

And it is just another example of how and why the ordering of color chips and strips are of little to no meaning when it comes down to choosing wall color one room at a time.

Can I just stick to one card?

Again, maybe. Maybe not. It's going to depend on the light. Biggest thing you have to watch out for it contrast. Most people like to stick to the mid tone colors on color strips -- not too light, not too dark. Again, because of the light, you may find after you are all done painting that you cannot tell that you have used different colors throughout the floor plan. The nuance of the colors is too similar and the fluctuation of natural/ambient light negates any difference that may technically exist color to color. You wasted a lot of time and money on different colors and the result looks like it is all the same color any way.

Choosing one strip of colors might work but it's not correct to assume that strategy is going to work in every instance because it will not.

The color strips will help you a great deal jamaraz. As far as getting technical on the way I mentioned to you on "how they work". I gave you the correct technical answer. For instance a color you may choose from one of the pigment family groups may be just a fraction to dark or to light, by choosing another selection say 2 down or two above you will still have an idea of what color family your selected choice is still going to be in. Of course as I mentioned in the BM- HC collection they are grouped by color groups as i stated above.

Definitely do agree with selecting the same color or yet another color altogether, at the end of each day the directional lighting is going to rule (Metamerism).

Thanks to all for answering my questions. I figured this was the case but I was hoping for an easy answer. Painting and coordinating 6 rooms is overwhelming. By the way, anyone have any thoughts on accent walls? I am putting a chair rail in my dining room and want to put a dark color on half the walls. I am building a custom fireplace mantel and was thinking of painting that wall the same color was the dark half of the dining room. Is that complementary or cheesy? My house is a traditional center hall colonial with 8 foot ceilings. My rooms are all open to each other but have definitive walls/space. I am putting detailed mouldings throughout the first floor and I want the colors I choose to highlight the mouldings. I'm starting to get exhausted and the contractor is coming next week. Any help is appreciated.

QUOTE:: I figured this was the case but I was hoping for an easy answer.

jamaraz, as far as having the color , color family, family group right at your finger tips, it's there. Paint companies when designing their fandecks KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING better than we. There is a design plan behind the layout that will assist you.

Y'know like on one strip for example you might want Paris Rain but it is just a little to light and want the same color but a little darker so you think Texas Sage would be the idea color. Well if those colors are just throwed here and there in the 1,500 fandeck , you would be all day just trying to find the color family co-ordinate. By the paint companies keeping their color families grouped and with their related pigment families it is much easier for the person to pick the Texas sage which would be on the SAME color strip and NOT SEPARATED to a completely different strip say # 1,000 down.

Talk about the customer be frustrated trying to select a paint color. It's hard enough as it is with all the zillion colors out here anyway. So, paint companies do make it easier for all of us.

What size is your dining room, what type of flooring, what about lighting? Y'know what else, this is just a thought. Extending the thought of a chairrail in your dining room, you could also add the box cutouts along the bottom wall for a wainscoting effect and do the bottom half in a nice white semi-gloss. Do your top half in a darker hue. Of course I don't know the type of substrate you have (smooth or textured).

Personally, I'm not one where accent walls appeal to me, unless there is an eye catching architectural feature to visually draw the eye to an accent wall. I don't necessarily just like doing accent walls. Nothing at all wrong with it. Accent walls are painted everyday and will continue to be. It's just what the person wants. Your entire first floor with moldings should be beautiful. Mouldings, yum yum, that is something to complete a room. Your custom framed mantel could have moldings to echo your wainscoting in the dining room if you chose this route also.
Sounds like it is going to look super great.

decorativewalls - my dining room is 14x15 with a bay window. I am doing hardwood flooring throughout my first floor. I am going to stain it a medium/dark color. My chandelier is an antique gold birdcage with cream mini lampshades. My dining room table is walnut colored with tan fabric chairs with a muted red/gold design. I'm going to do some sort of valance on the windows.

I am putting most of my money and effort into my center hall. I am doing significant raised panels in the hallway and up the stairs. I am changing my doorways to thicker trim moulding and am going to do crown moulding throughout the first floor. I plan to wainscot the first floor bathroom that is opposite my front door. My kids always leave the door open so I have to consider it part of my center hall.

I am sheetrocking over my old full wall brick fireplace and am doing a custom floor to ceiling mantle. I am then breaking through the wall seperating my living room and family room. Whatever custom moulding I do on the fireplace I will mimic on the opening between the two rooms. I am envisioning some sort of square columns.

As you can see, it will be a major change to my first floor. I need to pick colors that will showcase my trim work but still flow together. My dining room is my biggest concern because it will be the only room without a heavy architectural element. I'm hoping paint can help give the room some oomph.

oh wow, sounds like you have a plan already and know the route you want to take. Everything you have mentioned sounds devine. I love all of it. Your chandelier sounds soooo unique. You really got it going on with your design plan. Love the finish on the table and sounds like your flooring is going to be somewhere in this family of stain. That's a good size DR; how wide of a chairrail molding are you going to use? Chairs and valance for the bay window sounds great also.

Do you even know yet what trim color you may want?