This is the mystery of paint colors - a color can look great in one place and not another. Then again, the type of lighting in the room can change everything.

How far off is the color? Can you put a drop of the HD paint on a BM chip and see a difference?

I'm confused by your question, beginning with why you and your DH are deciding the colors for your youngest's home. What does he or she have to say about the color? He or she is the one who has to live with it.

I'm aslo confused because your question at times sounds like it's already painted with the Manchester Tan and then at others like it will be painted with it.

What color are the walls now?

Yes, if a room doesn't get a lot of natural light, it is best to go with either a very warm white or a more saturated color.

Sorry for the confusion. Room is painted Manchester Tan, but HD version.

Looking for neutral for a dark studio apartment, since this did not work.

DD is in California right now and is happy with us finishing up this apartment. She is easy going and not fussy. It's me that is fussy!

Question: What color can I paint over this? or should I get the BM Manchester Tan and repaint with that?

Yes, I know all about lighting but I did read that MT is good even in a darker room.

First of all, I'd determine if the color that isn't working is really a ManTan match. Maybe it's not the same color after all. But if it matches, or is even close to a match, I wouldn't use the BM version. What would that accomplish? I'd look in another direction.

Used BM Manchester Tan in my parents house when listing it for resell. Their house was fairly bright, but the color looked awful and dull.

I'd go with something lighter. ;)

Can you post pictures? In my experience, I haven't had the best of luck with color matching from one supplier to the next.... but if this were my home, I would paint a lighter, more pleasing color and go for two coats. You are spending so much time and money on the project already, take it to the point where you are happy with the results.

Ask your daughter how she wants to feel when she is home. Is this a studio or a one bedroom? Is the whole thing being painted?

I would start by asking her how she wants to feel in each room. That is the best way to figure out in which direction to go with paint colors since lighting and paint color strongly affect the ambience in a room.

BM is a much better quality paint and so will not only look better but will also wear better. I would not be happy with the paint brand change (hope you ageed to that) or to having color matching done because they never really match and can in reality be completely different. Try different light bulbs to see if that alleviates the problem. Check to see if the colors even match to begin with. If you really like the tones of MT, try a quart sample of a lighter version (a percentage of the original formula), or just ask BM if there is a lighter color similar to MT.

Your kids are lucky to have your assistance!

I know it's odd, but both my daughter's are really not interested in decorating.

Both apartments need renovations which is why DH and I are helping out. Not as simple as just painting.

Tib, it is a tiny studio, but the kitchen is it's own little room. My DD really doesn't mine what paint color, she is busy with work!

So, any suggestions of other neutrals that have worked in dark spaces?

With today's 'daylight' bulbs, I'm surprised you can't get the space to brighten up. LED's are a cleaner light color which might help.

I would go to BM and get a color a tad lighter than the Manchester Tan.

Also, an eggshell finish should cover the original paint with one coat. The finish also has more of a reflective property and may appear brighter with light.

Once the trim (paint bright white) is up, and lighting is functional, you should see a difference.

Some people paint a studio with white and then use accent colors around the room.

I would go to the paint store and get a color that is several shades lighter than Manchester Tan. If it looks like mud in her apartment she needs something a LOT lighter.

If your daughter doesn't care what the color looks like than just leave it as is. She's the one living there not you. It can always be repainted at a later date. Who knows, by then she might care about decorating/paint colors.

I can identify with you totally with regards to painting/decorating the your kids houses. I did more painting at my 3 childrens houses than they ever did. They did choose the colors with my assistance but they really weren't fussy about how the colors looked once the rooms were done. I too am much fussier than my kids are, in fact I'm some times accused of being a perfectionist. I've learned to do what I can or what they want and leave the rest up to them. They aren't little kids anymore. My children are genuinely grateful for all that I have done as I am sure yours are.

I would not waste the money redoing it at this time. I'm sure the HD paint will hold up just fine but if it doesn't you can repaint when needed. I have color matched BM paint and SW paint with Ace brand paints and a big box store paint on more than one occasion and it has always looked like the color it was matched to.

My DD's bedroom (that I painted) is actually a color match for Manchester Tan and she loves it. Wish I had a picture to share. Maybe I can take one tomorrow when I am at her house watching my new granddaughter.

I appreciate everyone's comments. The color is not even remotely like MT, which is why I am disappointed.

It's just a weird beige. I had a good friend over who always puts things in perspective. She said the same as Badgergal. It can be repainted a few years from now, with my DD's input. She said that I should bring in white, which we will be doing with blinds and trim. We are planning on adding a light to an existing fan in the ceiling. Also lamps. Hopefully this will help.

The contractor is willing to repaint one coat with the BM Manchester Tan. Who here thinks this will matter?

It is hard to find advise for neutral colors for dark rooms. Or specific colors to look at.

One site recommended blue, we so not blue!

What color were you painting over?

If you don't have much artificial light in there right now, it is impossible to tell what the color will look like when it does have sufficient light. Maybe haul some lamps and various bulbs over to check it out again.

If contractor is willing to do a coat of BM Manchester Tan, seems to me all you'll be out is the cost of the paint. I'd go for it!

On paint colors changing, Sister, DD, and I all have BM Revere Pewter in our houses. In my house, it is gray; in Sister's house, it is beige' in DD's house, it is blue. Go figure! The good news is we all like the color we got!

Does BM sell a sample of their Manchester? You can always paint some on the wall to see if there is a difference.

If it's not going to make a dramatic change, why waste paint and someone's generous labor to achieve nothing?

Brushworks, I am leaning in that direction. As a pro, what neutral colors have you used in low light places?

Paint it in BM Capitol White. I know people are rolling their eyes because I recommend it a lot these days, but it is a beautiful, warm, creamy white, and is beautiful next to white trim. A wonderful neutral. It's great in rooms that don't get a lot of natural light. I painted my low-light kitchen with the Capitol White recently, and I really love it. It makes me smile because it's so creamy and warm and wonderful.

I wouldn't repaint with a similar color. It clearly has a lot to do with the light in the room. I painted the wall color in my dr (so. exposure) the same as the ceiling in my library (no. exposure) and, even though the 2 rooms are open to each other, the color looks completely different. So much so that the carpenter didn't believe it until he took the single paint chip and put it up against both. So pick something less green, maybe with a little more red like BM Hazelnut Cream to brighten the space.

Manchester tan

Hazelnut cream

After you do the trim and blinds in bright white, it will all look different. I think that Behr is a good paint. Lately I like painting with it as much as BM or SW and I am extremely snooty about paint, lol. Always get a better grade than the lowest if you can. I've had the worst luck lately with SW flat. It's so fragile you barely touch it and it leaves a mark. I prefer a flat finish in our two story living room. It's almost powdery and already marked up. I'm so sad about it. Another friend complained of the same thing how easily it marked and they ended up repainting with something else. I never had a problem with their paint in the past. If you get a paint with a primer in it one coat will cover it in any brand. We used Behr Premium Plus and I'm in love with that. One coat covered a very dark moss color I had in my LR for years. Painted it Argos, a Sherwin Williams color matched by HD and it's gorgeous. It's a blue gray, probably too dark for a dark room. Painted the kitchen the ever popular BM Revere Pewter so popular with Gw'ers. I love it and I pretty much never like anything at first sight, lol. ... Maybe you could finish the trim and decorating and then decide. It will make a world of difference. Also, you can always ask the paint store to cut the formula in half if you want the same color only lighter. You're a sweet mom for taking this on for you DD.

Tibrix, thank you! I will check out your Capitol White for my Master BR. I need a creamy white to go with soft yellow and white bedding. The living room is Plantation Beige and looking for a lighter same family color for the Master BR. I have so many sample cans and pots of paint, it would be nice just to go for it without adding to my burden of what to do with all of it. Waiting for the next paint recycling day to roll around but if you're out of town that day it's another year to wait...ugh..

My kitchen (high ceiling w/ skylight is painted BM Manchester Tan and LR is painted bleeker beige ...love them both but it definitely depends on size of room and lighting exposure etc.

You'll love it. I can almost guarantee it, gr8daygw.

Interesting, I found a blog recently in which the designer said that she always loved (some white, I think Linen White BM) but had discovered Capitol white, and she went on to rave about it.

I linked her comment here on GW...and later I noticed that she'd "liked" the comment!

Lol.

Going to see if I can find her comment.

Here it is:

https://intentionaldesigns.com/my-top-5-shades-of-white-paint-colors/

I have always been a BM and SW brand snob, but I tried the HD paint a few years ago and actually really like it. I've also had good experience with HD color matching, but the first thing I would do is make sure you actually got something close to Manchester Tan. Then make a decision about what to do.

tibbrix - Thank you for the Capital White suggestion. If I ever need a creamy white, I'll try it out. Could you post a photo of your room?

i have used behr paint before and it applied and wore well.... i'm not sure why the match would be so far off, unless they made a mistake and mixed a wrong color...

i would definitely leave it as it is if it's just that the color isn't as 'pleasing' as you had hoped in the darker rooms- afterall, you won't be living there and your daughter sounds like she won't care ... not everything has to be or can be 'perfect' :)

I agree that you really need to see whether the HD paint is a true color match. If not, I don't care what the painter is offering to do, his paint change to save a few bucks is his problem and he need to paint the color you want and d two coats if necessary to cover. If it is a good coclor match, then you need to chose another color.

I have given up on BM paints -- due mostly to lack of availability, and had to go with SW this last project. I've already recommended Agreeable Grey a number of times. My FR has 6 windows and French doors on a W exposure so the light is intense in the afternoon, but very soft in the morning. Even dark on a cloudy day like today. I like the way it looks in all light conditions. BM's Egdecomb Grey is a similar color.

If you just want an off-white, Capitol White looks nice too. I would make sure it will go well with your trim paint though.

nhb, I just took three pics for you. These two, I think, show the Capitol White most accurately. Walls are Capitol White; ceiling and trim are BM White Dove

Thank you! There seems to be very little contrast in the Capital White and White Dove trim. Looks very similar to my BM Putnam Ivory with a slight yellow tint, yet lighter than Putnam.

No! I've got Putnam Ivory in my DR. It's very different.

The Capitol White is more yellow based, while Putnam Ivory is more orange.

The contrast between the White Dove and the Capitol White is starker IRL than in those photos. I am in love with the Capitol White.

Never noticed orange in my PI. It's in my bathroom which is very bright.

I'm a fan of Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray or Accessible Beige. Young renters LOVED the AGray as did the 60+ year-old painters.

"nhb22

Never noticed orange in my PI. It's in my bathroom which is very bright."

goes to show how light affects paint color! I see a lot of amber/orange in the PI.

Here is Capitol White and PI

The white is very pretty.

Hi, I agree the lack of natural light will change the look of a color, but If you like Manchester Tan and want to keep it, my suggestions are to have your painter only use Benjamin Moore Paint, in my experience over the years color matching has never worked out especially with HC Colors that are complex. Secondly, I would paint the moldings in Benjamin Moore Super White or White Dove and keep the ceiling white as well. Lastly, If you are on the fence about the color, this is your opportunity to change it don't worry about 2 coats you'll be living with this color for a long time and it's important you like it!

goes to show how light affects paint color

I've told this before - we painted our west and south facing family room a wonderful green. My friend and her daughter walked in together. One said "Nice grey". The other said "nice green". Light and perception!

The BM Williamsburg Collection has some lovely authentic paints from Colonial Williamsburg, but some BM's don't feature them at all and you have to know about the paints and look them up or ask. I've only used whites for trim, not walls, but Capitol White looks lovely.

I am painting kitchen, family room and living room Manchester tan but want another soft neutral for my dining room - not blue/greens. Does anyone have suggestions? I am stuck.

As others have suggested, you NEED to make sure the paint was tinted correctly. Using the paint swatch from BM, place a dab of your current paint on the swatch. Allow to dry. Does it match? It’s okay if you don’t like Man Tan in a different space, it happens. Paint colors don’t work in all rooms.

Ok so I realize this was from 4 years ago. @eld6161 what was the outcome? I appreciate this thread this morning as I have been trying to decide on paint color, and Manchester Tan is one of my front runners. I also like that Hazelnut Cream....as well as another one I stumbled on ( all BM) Early Sunset (what I don't love is that it is a pink but really if I didn't know it was pink I might like it more). For the SW crew I like Naturel and Creamy.

Glad to help you, 4 years later! As it turned out, the room had to be repainted. DH bought BM Manchester Tan personally and gave it to our painter.

This time it was true to form. Looks great in wherever you put it!

This color has been my husbands go to now in rentals and he has used it quite a few times.

It never disappoints and although like every color it can change during day to night, it is not drastic.

It is still a top selling color.

i have heard if SW natural and Creamy, but have not seen them in person and don’t know how they play out throughout the day.

Right none I’m in my Florida home. We are renovating. We had trouble with. BM Simply white color here, possibility a bad paint batch, had to color match to HD paint. It turns yellow :(

Sigh, I’m working with it as it is too big a job to redo.

Let me know what you decide.

Thank you E!

I might just start a thread asking my questions----definitely appreciate your comments on MT!! (my long awaited kitchen remodel which was to start end of March, needless to say.... didn't . On the good side-- we are able to start finally and now I need to get the paint figured.

Yes, definitely. I really like people’s actual experience with colors.

I was just going to add I'm glad your DH went and bought the actual BM Manchester Tan. I too have learned the hard way not to attempt to match BM paint colors with other brands. It's not that other brands don't have good paint, its the way BM colors are made. You can probably match just about any other paint brand color with a BM paint, but it really is not a good idea to take a BM paint color and match to a different brand. My BM Elmira White match with a SW paint turned out with ugly pink undertones which I didn't catch until everything had been painted and then it couldn't be undone. I've had to live with it for years thinking it was just not the right paint color only to get the actual BM paint and find that no, it was the SW match. The real BM color is beautiful and I will now be repainting with it unless I choose another color. It's frustrating because most painters work with SW paint because it is easy to find. But I love BM and will just have to pay up for it.