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salonva

Comparing Paint Colors/ and brands?

9 years ago

Is there any site or feature within a site that will let you have more than one paint color at a time? I am trying to compare, for instance,
BM Manchester Tan
BM Shaker Beige
BM Putnam Ivory
SW Natural
SW Accessible Beige
I thought to check the colors out in a beginner way to see what I am interested in pursuing. These have caught my eye in photos of rooms (and a few I have in my house) but I would love to see if I can compare on screen more than one paint color.
Thank you

Comments (8)

  • 9 years ago

    I don't know of a way to do that, but surely someone here can help.

    salonva thanked woodrose77
  • 9 years ago

    I google the paint color and copy it onto my computer. Then I go to Paint and pull up those colors. Not the most scientific I'm sure, but it helps me see the tones much better.

    salonva thanked decormyhomepls
  • 9 years ago

    I use the BM Color Visualizer and use the colors on adjacent walls to get a better idea.

    salonva thanked dretutz
  • 9 years ago

    You can open a tab for each one or open your browser once for each one and flip between them. Searching for images of rooms painted in those colors can help too, but lighting and furnishings can influence the appearance of the colors in ways that may make them lookmore different than they wiill in your rooms. Ultimately, you have to see them. I agree and disagree a bit with the comment about viewing them on a computer screen -- if you have a good eye for color, you can get relative colors -- this one is more green, that one more lavendar (was looking at blue-greys this morning). But as for how it will actually look on your walls -- gotta get a chip or a sample of the colors that look most promising.

    salonva thanked lascatx
  • 9 years ago

    Chips are fine for narrowing down your choices, but you have to get a sample of paint to really know. Not only can't you trust your monitor, but you have to consider the capture source (camera, scanner) of the image you're viewing.

    I've tested some grays on foam board and also on two sides of my house (north and south). I'm looking for a warm gray. I can tolerate a bit of a green undertone, but SW Mindful Gray looks positively minty in either light. And yet, in the January BG&G, it's featured and it appears to have a pink/mauve undertone.

    You just can't tell for sure until you see the real color in your own space.

    salonva thanked Bunny
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    What amber said. Nuances of color do not begin to translate on the monitor. You'll eliminate choices that you may not have wanted to eliminate when you get to the store. You'll pick up choices that will kill you when you see the reality.

    Case in point - I wanted browns and greens in my quartz countertop. I ordered a sample that looked pretty good on the monitor.

    Opened the package - it looked like someone had just eaten peas and sweet potatoes - and regurgitated. Violently. (And I want to see that in my kitchen??)

    salonva thanked artemis_ma
  • 9 years ago

    Any of the suggestions above should be fine however you need to remember that none of those colors are set, they need to still mix them to make that specific color which may also change your mind. I prefer using swatches as they'll show you the color that the painter will try make it as well as the lighter shades.

    salonva thanked Leah