Choose paint colors in your own home before work starts

Choose paint colors using samples viewed in the room before the painting job begins. A small store swatch cannot show how a color will look in your lighting, across a large wall, or beside your existing furniture.

Start with the materials you are keeping

Bring together the colors of the flooring, furniture, curtains, and other surfaces that will remain. Decide where you want attention to go and what atmosphere suits the room’s use. The surfaces do not all need to match, but their relationship is easier to judge together.

If rooms open into one another, look from the hallway or adjoining space too. A color that works on its own may feel different as part of the whole home.

View samples at different times

Ask for a large enough painted sample or arrange a test area with a professional. Compare options in daylight and under the lights used in the evening. Limit the number of choices you assess at once.

Consider sheen and practical use as well as color. A kitchen, entryway, and quiet bedroom may have different cleaning needs. Ask the painter or designer for a suitable product; a color code alone does not define the paint’s properties.

Confirm each surface’s specification

Keep one list showing the room, wall or other surface, color code, product, and sheen. Include ceilings, trim, and doors if they are part of the job. Update the list when a choice changes.

Agree on the deadline for confirming colors and how a late change affects work or material costs. Keep the approved sample and product information for later touch-ups. A finished color plan helps the contractor estimate an interior painting job more accurately.