Interior Painting Tip: Paint Color Chips and Strips Can Deceive You

Have you ever looked at a small paint chip or color strip to choose a color for an interior painting project? Tough, isn't it! And if you made your color decision from one of these small samples, it's no surprise that the color you wound up with didn't turn out to be the color you wanted, or the color you thought you'd chosen. 

Nobody, including those of us who work with color all the time, can make an informed color decision from a tiny sample. 

Chips and Strips Are Deceiving

Here are some reasons why samples from chips or strips are deceiving: 

Color's Cumulative Effect  

Studying a paint chip, even one of the somewhat larger ones some manufacturers now provide, won't give you an accurate idea of how the color will look on a large surface. Think of the effect of red paint on a wall vs. red trim on an accent cushion. 

Once applied to a wall, dark colors will look darker and bright colors will look even brighter. Not only that, the impression a color makes on one wall will intensify once it's applied to all the walls. 

Two Types of Color Strips

Color Strips: Competition and Distortion  

When the color you're considering is on a strip in a fan deck, you get an even more distorted impression because:

•  Each sample is so small.
•  Adjacent colors affect each other.
• The white strip between each color makes you think that the color isn’t as bright or intense as it really is.

No Standardization

There are three types of color strips:

• a progression of one color from light to dark. 
• different colors from one hue family.
• unrelated colors. 

Pay attention to the organization of the strip you’re looking at. While paint strips can help you make an initial decision and are useful for basic comparisons, these small samples make it impossible to figure out what each color really looks like. However, I do find that when I'm trying to work with a particular hue, the strips with a progression of colors are helpful. 

Other Issues

Orientation 

Paint color changes with the orientation in which it's applied. As a result, your wall color will look different if you apply it to the ceiling. Choosing a ceiling color can be especially challenging because you can't put a tiny chip or paint strip on the ceiling and tell how it will look. Ceiling color will also be affected by the colors of the walls, flooring, and furniture, among other factors, but you won't be able to see the effect of this phenomenon working from a small sample. 

Lighting

The lighting at the paint store likely is quite different from the lighting in the space you're planning to paint, and that means the color will look different there. The color will also be affected by many other factors, including the time of day and whether you're viewing it in natural or artificial light. Small samples can't show the true effect of lighting.  

The Solution: Larger Color Samples 

Larger samples are the best way to make a more educated guess about the impression a color will make - before you invest in the paint. 

Some people paint samples directly on the wall side by side and try to compare them. This approach doesn't work well because the existing wall color and the neighboring samples will distort what you see. 

A better approach is to create your own oversize samples, using inexpensive, lightweight foam core sample boards. Buy some that are at least 2 x 3 feet in size, and apply at least two coats of paint. Your local paint store will sell you sample pots of the colors you're considering, with just the right amount of paint. Always cover 100% of the board so that there are no white borders to distort your perception of the color, and use a different board for each color. 

Advantages of larger samples

• The true color impression is more apparent than on a chip.
• You avoid the color competition and distortion caused by looking at a color on a strip or on the wall next to others you're considering.
• You can move the sample around the room and even affix it to the ceiling with removable tape to view it in different orientations.
• You can move the sample to view it adjacent to large pieces of furniture, window treatments, and accessories.
• You can easily evaluate how the color works with colors used in adjacent spaces.
• Sample boards avoid the need to prime or use additional coats of paint to cover test areas on the wall. 

When you're choosing paint colors, large individual samples are best. Study the samples on every wall at different times during the day and at night under natural and artificial lighting.

If You Need Help

As a #Certified Color Strategist, I use my advanced training and the latest in digital color technology to inform and streamline the process of helping you choose paint colors that work. If you'd like to talk about your project and schedule an appointment, call me at 828-692-4355. If you live outside my service area, you can also arrange an online consultation. 

Going to the Paint Store? Read This First.

Making unnecessary extra trips to the paint store can be frustrating, not to mention time-consuming and expensive. Next time you have a project, make sure you're ready to get the best advice and color inspiration by doing a little homework first. 

What's the Purpose of Your Visit?

Have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish so that you ask the right questions and bring all the pertinent materials and information with you. 

Outline the Basics of Your Project 

Use this list to describe your project to the counter person so they can focus on the key issues.

• Interior or exterior.

• New construction, remodel, repaint or repair project.

• Is the existing paint or stain oil base or latex? 

• Bring or photograph the old paint or stain cans, if you have them. The label will also enable you to identify the existing color, including the formula if it was a custom mix.
• If you're not sure if the existing paint is oil or latex, wet a rag with denatured alcohol. Rub a small circle with the cloth for about twenty seconds. If you remove a fair amount of paint, it's likely a latex product. If it's oil, the alcohol will just clean the surface.

• What surfaces are being painted? Ceiling, walls, cabinets, trim.

• What is the condition of the surfaces?  Good, flaking, peeling, chalking, moldy, smoke stains, water damage stains, previously wallpapered, pre-primed, etc. Condition will help determine what preparation is needed.

• Your budget. Do you want to use the very best products, very good products, or good enough products? Manufacturers offer a range of products for all budgets.

• Other considerations or questions, including referrals to paint and color professionals, if you're not doing the work yourself.

Color Selection/Matching Tips

• Planing a color change? If yes, will it be minor or significant? Do you need help finding the right colors? Discuss the number of coats needed for coverage, and if priming is recommended.

• Do you have tinted windows that filter natural light? You'll need to factor in the effect when choosing interior colors. 

• What type of light bulbs are you using? (LED, halogen, incandescent, etc.) 

• the color temperature of today's bulbs varies greatly from warm to cool and will affect paint colors. 

• The paint colors you like in the store will appear very different on the walls in your home, depending on your light bulbs. 

• Some stores have a lightbox to show you how a color will look under different lighting conditions. Ask at the counter and be sure to study your samples in both natural and artificial light.

• Use your phone to bring pictures of your project.

• Bring samples of key elements such as flooring, countertop, fabrics, etc. to give you a starting point for choosing colors and save you money by reducing the number of paint samples you buy. 

• Matching an existing stain: Bring a sample of the item to be matched, along with a generous piece of the actual wood that will be used.

• Matching existing paint: 

• When you have the can of original paint, bring it with you. 

• When you don't have the paint can, remove a light switch and with a razor blade cut a facepiece of the painted drywall behind it, which will be the original color. The larger the piece, the more accurate the match. 

• The really good paint stores keep records of their customers and the paint colors they used. 

Success Is Up To You

If you gather the right information before you leave the house, you'll get better guidance at the paint store, you'll make fewer frustrating trips, and you'll save time and money while getting better results. 

Choosing Paint Colors On Line: Be Aware of the Pitfalls

Many people are surprised and upset when they choose a paint color after seeing it online, only to find that it doesn't look the way they expected when they paint their house with it. What happened? Why does it look different? Here are some of the major reasons:

Digital Color vs. Color in the Real World

The many thousands of colors we can see exist in a three-dimensional color space known as the Human Gamut of Color, as charted in the diagram on the right. 

However, the capabilities of the digital color display on your phone, computer or television are limited to colors that can be created by red, green and blue light, a much smaller color space known as RGB. The result is that these devices can't show many colors accurately, especially in the green, blue and purple hue families. 

The colors used in printing come from cyan, yellow and magenta ink (plus a key color), an even smaller color space known as CMYK. 

When you understand this, the reason for difference between the color you loved on line and hated on your wall, or the color you chose online for your printing project that didn't meet expectations, is much more understandable. 

The Human Factor

As if the color space problem wasn't challenging enough, there are other issues. Color isn't a fixed property of a surface, it's a sensation and a unique personal experience. I say experience because color is created by light waves from the visible spectrum that come in through our eyes and get processed by our brain, and because we're unique beings, each of us sees color differently.

Light 

Because the sensation of color is created by light waves, it changes with the light in each space. Just think of how different a color looks in daylight vs. artificial light, or in the morning vs. the late afternoon. Color is a moving target. 

So How DO You Choose Paint Colors?

We all love going online for paint color inspiration. Just be aware of the limitations of the colors you see in a digital space and think of them as approximations only. Remember that color is totally defined by its context, and the same color can be expected to look different as its environment changes. 

As an architectural paint color consultant, I know there’s a better way to choose paint colors successfully. It starts with identifying the color properties of the fixed elements in your home, inside or outside, and using them as your starting point for finding paint colors. The reason is that if you ignore them and use the color you think is the answer after seeing it online, it likely could be an expensive mistake. Liking a color should be one of many considerations, not the only one. 

I Can Help

With my advanced training as a #Camp Chroma #Certified Color Strategist II, and using the latest in color technology, I can identify the essential color properties of everything from granite to roof tiles. I then use that color DNA as well as the color DNA of every single paint color you’d like to consider, to know instantly if they’ll be harmonious in your room or on the outside of your house. I also give you large samples of these colors to look at in your space. No guesses about a color’s “undertones”. There’s no such thing in architectural paint out of the can, by the way. And no expensive, time-consuming and frustrating trips to the paint store. 

The other thing I can do, which most color consultants don’t offer, is to guide you in strategic color placement. I believe that finding the right colors is just half the equation. You also need to know where to put the colors so that you feature the best and minimize the impact of bad design, functional details, or other issues like a large open space, asymmetrical ceilings, low ceilings or skimpy trim. 

If you need expert help, call me at 828-692-4355 and tell me what problems you're having. I'll work with you to find pleasing solutions to your most challenging color dilemmas. 

Prevent Ladder Damage to Your House

Roger sees ladder damage all the time: black scrape marks on siding caused by leaning or dragging a ladder, dirt or other contaminants transferred to the siding by a ladder, or even worse, chipped paint on gutters, or even dented gutters. The culprit might be window washers, gutter installers or cleaners, amateur painters or pressure-washers, or it might even be you.

Repairing the Damage

Pressure-washing doesn’t help, nor does a cleaner like Jomax. Sometimes a magic eraser can reduce the scrape marks, but usually repainting is needed. And if metal gutters are damaged, they may have to be sanded and spot primed before repainting. Don't ignore seemingly minor damage to metal gutters because chipped paint eventually will cause rust. 

Prevention is the best medicine

If you’re having work done, be sure to have a conversation when you're getting the estimate about the need to make sure all ladders are clean and wrapped and equipped with a stabilizer when appropriate. Be sure to be there during the work so you can double-check to be certain the ladders are properly prepared. If you're doing the work yourself, get a pair of ladder booties and keep them clean.

How to Find a True Paint Color Expert

There are a lot of self-proclaimed paint color experts these days, many of whom have little or no scientifically based color training. Some have even created their own approach and managed to market (and monetize) it with workshops, videos, color sample boards, blog posts and more. What most have in common is that the best they can offer you is their personal opinions about color, but unfortunately opinions aren't the same as true color knowledge.

So What's Wrong with Opinions? 

What's wrong with having only opinions to offer is that color is a personal experience because of our unique vision and brain. So when one of these "experts" on Pinterest or Houzz or in a blog gives an opinion about a color, all they're telling you is what the color looked like To Them in some unknown setting, with no objective data to support their claims. Since color is light waves that are defined by context and by the observer, their opinion doesn't help you. You have no idea whether or not they have good color acuity, or under what circumstances they formed their opinion. This reliance on unsubstantiated opinion in the absence of any scientific standard also explains the confusing and often conflicting claims you see about a color's "undertones".

I can tell right away that someone doesn't know color when I see the use of the term "undertone". There is no such thing because architectural paint is opaque. Straight out of the can it doesn't have undertones. Instead, every color except pure black, pure gray and pure white belongs to a hue family. True color experts know this and know how to scientifically identify these hue families and use Hue along with other objective information, including Value, Chroma and Light Reflectance Value to specify color.

Sandy LeRoy, Camp Chroma
Certified Color Strategist II 

Bottom Line

When you want to work with someone who really knows their stuff, ask if they use objective, i.e. scientific and measurable color data values in their work. Better still, ask if they're a Certified Color Strategist through Lori Sawaya's excellent training in Camp Chroma at The Land of Color. They're truly knowledgeable people you can count on, and I'm proud to be one of them.

Estimating the Unknown

One rainy afternoon last week Roger looked at two projects that turned out to have a lot of unknowns. Because we were unable to define exactly what needed to be done and how long it would take to do it, we couldn't provide our usual fixed price estimate. To keep the price as low as possible, we suggested that the work be done at our standard hourly rate, plus actual costs of materials, equipment and supplies. 

This caused both homeowners some frustration and disappointment because they wanted to compare our approach with others and be sure what we charged was in line and would fit their budget for the work. The problem was further complicated by the fact that although we had been referred by people they trust who know us well and can vouch for us, we were strangers to them. 

Roger and I understood their predicament, but if there are a lot of unknowns we can't give you a fixed price, and even quoting a range of prices is risky if the problem(s) turn out to be much worse than expected. Having said that, we know that some other contractors are willing to wing it and hope for the best, but we're just not comfortable operating that way.

Project #1

The first project was the exterior of a house that was over 50 years old, with many, many layers of peeling, flaking paint. If the surfaces weren't properly prepared, the weight of the new paint could cause even more failure and make the job much larger and more difficult. The amount of preparation time that would be required to achieve a paint-able result couldn't be determined from just looking at the house. There were also going to be some repairs, but they hadn't begun so Roger also didn't know how much cosmetic work he would have to do prior to painting.

Project #2

In the second case the owner didn't want to paint full walls, just bits and pieces here and there on the inside and outside of a large home. In addition there was considerable damage in several rooms from a large, slow water leak, but the extent of the damage couldn't be determined until Roger began digging out the bad areas. He also was told that a high deck needed washing, but the only access was with a very tall ladder that he doesn't carry unless he knows he'll need it, so there was no way to see what condition the deck was in. There were even more "issues", but you get the idea.

The Solution That's Fair to Both Parties

In both cases there was no accurate way to estimate the scope of work. If we quoted a fixed price, we'd have to make it really, really high to cover contingencies, and the terms wouldn't be acceptable. If we bid the projects with unsubstantiated optimism that they would turn out to be no larger and/or no worse than what could be seen, we could be in trouble. 

This is why in both cases we recommended the only fair solution: charging by the hour plus the cost of materials, equipment and supplies. The homeowners would pay only what the work actually cost and we wouldn't lose money on a job that turned out to be much larger than expected. It also would have given them total control of their project because it at any time they were unhappy with the way things were going, they could have paid us for what we'd done and sent us on our way. (BTW, in more than thirty years in business that's never happened!) 

Even after explaining all this, both homeowners pressed us very hard to give them a firm price. We understood and were very sorry that we couldn't do as they wished, but over-charging to protect us would have been unfair to them and under-charging and hoping for the best would have been unfair to us. We much prefer that our pricing for work with a lot of unknowns be just right for both parties. 

Camouflage or Feature? Strategies for Exterior Painting

No matter what you're doing, how you treat the details really matters and getting them wrong will trip you up every time. When you're painting the exterior of your house, you need to anaylze seemingly unimportant or small things and have a plan for how you'll deal with them. If you don't, they'll become distractions at best or eyesores at worst, and ruin the overall look. 

Since exterior painting is an investment, it makes sense to not lose these no-cost opportunities to enhance the best features of your house and camouflage the ones that are functional or unattractive.

Exterior Details to Hide, When Possible

To camouflage something, paint it the color of the surface it's on, usually the wall. In the case of downspouts, sometimes they cross the roof or fascia as in this picture, and in that case, the part along the fascia should be painted that color. Note the cabinet where the meters live has been painted the wall color. 

Here are some more candidates for the camouflage treatment:

• Most construction banding boards (They're usually there as joinery, not as decoration!).
• Garage doors, if they can be painted. Read your door warranty first as painting some doors could void the warranty.
• Utility boxes, wires and pipes.
• Air conditioning unit surround.
• Gutter exteriors, if they can be painted, and especially when the colors don't work with the roof or the paint colors.
• Deck undercarriages and support posts, in some situations.
• Lattice under a porch or deck. 
• Roof jacks and vents.
• Foundation.
• Small vents in gables.
• Small scale trim pieces used to create outlines.
• Miscellanous doors and windows in awkward locations. 
• Unpaintable items like white vinyl windows and doors. They can ruin the look of your house if

  

  Coordinated vinyl and window trim colors.

  there is high contrast between the trim and wall colors and the windows. Camouflage them by painting the trim the same color so that the windows look like a single unit as you can see in this picture, and by choosing a low contrast color for the walls. 

Before you start your painting project, take the time to study your house and make a plan.

Exterior Details to Feature

• The front door. Paint it a special color coordinated with the wall and trim colors, and with the flowering plants in your landscape. Don't use that color anywhere else.
• Decorative details.

As you see, this list of things to showcase is much shorter than the list of things to hide. That's because simplicity is usually best because it supports the architectural integrity of your house.

When it's time to paint your house again, pay attention to these details. You'll be amazed at what a difference it will make to have a smart strategy for them.

Choosing Exterior Paint Colors? Don't Ignore the Foundation

A disconnected foundation.

Often overlooked or deliberately ignored, the foundation of your house nevertheless is an important element in your exterior color plan. With the right color you can resolve design issues and make the house more attractive, but if you overlook the foundation, or you don't choose the color wisely, particularly if it's large and visible, you've created a distraction, or at worst an eyesore and undermined the appearance of your house.

The stark contrasting color chosen for the foundation of this house is such a departure from the stained siding that it draws your eye and fails to make the house look connected to it or to the ground. 

Why Foundations Are Often Ignored

Many people mistakenly think that the foundation of their house is a detail that doesn't matter. The reasons for this can include:

• not knowing the important role the foundation can play in creating a unified, harmonious impression of the house.
• failing to realize that leaving the foundation raw will make the house look unfinished or carelessly finished.  
• not knowing that how the foundation is treated creates a chance to correct design issues, such as a house that appears too squat or too tall. 
• the perception that the foundation is difficult to paint, or that it shouldn't be painted at all.

I'm not talking about foundations that are 6 inches or so in height, or beautiful stone or brick foundations, I'm talking about the larger raw concrete ones that are a visible design element that either supports or detracts from the look of your house. 

Color Strategies for Foundations

 Don't Ignore Large Visible Foundations.

Tall House with a Large Visible Foundation

If your house has a very large visible foundation, look at the relative proportions of siding and foundation, as well as the overall height of the house, to guide you to the best approach. 

Using a darker accent color on the foundation not only shortens the perceived height of the house and grounds it, the color plan becomes more custom and interesting.  It's usually best to avoid very high contrast between the body and foundation colors, and don't mix pastels with earth tones. If the house has a horizontal banding board, you have options. Depending on the proportions of the house and foundation, you can paint the board in the body color, the foundation color, or in an accent color to adjust the impression of height. 

Modular Home on Raw Concrete Foundation

Long, Low House

If your house is long and low like many ranch houses, paint the foundation in the body color to make it look less squat and more unified. In this case the painted foundation has the additional benefit of making the house look less like a modular dropped on a foundation. 

Foundation Painted the Body Color

Stained Wood Siding

When your house has stained siding, an unpainted concrete foundation can look jarring. The high contrast undermines the unity and harmony of the exterior and makes it look unfinished. Usually the best approach is to match paint to the color of the stain after it's been applied to the house and paint the foundation. 

Stained Wood Siding and Raw Concrete Foundation

Painting Raw Concrete

Yes, you can paint raw concrete, and as with any other painting project, correct surface preparation is essential. Whether you paint it yourself, or hire someone to do it for you, make sure to pressure-wash if needed, fill holes with concrete patch, repair cracks with an elastomeric caulk, then use a 100% acrylic primer before applying the paint. If the concrete is new, it should be allowed to cure at least 30 days before painting. 

Every detail matters when you paint the exterior of your home, even the humble foundation!

Painting Estimates: Look Beyond the Number

I admit it: sometimes I get frustrated. We often do estimates for people who say they want the best possible job, so we thoroughly discuss what they want to be done and prepare our estimate on that basis, only to be told we weren't the low bid.  

I'm not surprised to hear it. Our professional standards and our personal definition of high quality work are likely very different from our competitors, but the homeowner doesn't know this and chooses the low bid on the assumption they were prepared on the same terms, and that price is the only point of comparison. Unfortunately for us, it's never true. To compare estimates accurately, you need to know how they're calculated. 

Cost Elements of a Painting Estimate

Labor, materials, supplies, equipment, and overhead (office expenses, vehicle expenses, insurance, taxes, licenses, web site, dues, and memberships, etc. etc.) are the main cost elements of a painting estimate. The biggest factor is the time needed to do the quality of work specified because of the cost of labor. It takes longer for a professional to prepare a surface for painting the right way, which can involve several steps, and then apply the paint correctly, than it does for an amateur working at a low wage to do little or no preparation, or incorrect preparation, then slap on a coat of paint. Which do you think yields attractive, long-lasting results? And which approach do you think costs you less over time? You can either save money today and get poor or at best mediocre results, or you can have work that looks great, adds to the beauty, enjoyment, and value of your home - and will last. 

If you hire an individual who doesn't operate as a business with associated overhead you might pay less, but you take a much greater risk because they've chosen not to be visible and accountable. 

If you want to compare painting estimates more accurately, here's how:

How to Get Comparable Estimates        

First you need to decide what you want to accomplish. If you've just moved in and plan to stay, doing things correctly is smart, even if it means you do the work a little bit at a time. On the other hand, if you're doing a quick clean up to get your house ready to list, your goal might be low cost rather than high quality. Be sure to discuss your goals with the bidders who might have valuable suggestions. Make certain that everyone knows the final strategy so that the estimates are comparable. Require detailed written estimates.

We always provide written estimates, as much for our benefit as for yours, and we specify exactly what we're going to do and the materials we're going to use so that you know what you'll get for your investment in hiring us. I have yet to see a competitor's estimate that takes such a detailed approach, so how do you compare them with us?

Questions to Ask Each Bidder

• Who will do the work and what are their qualifications? Unskilled or temporary workers may keep costs down, but you could pay a high price for their shortcomings.
• Does the company carry workers' compensation insurance? If not, you could be held financially responsible if someone is injured on your property. 
• What steps will be taken to prepare the surface?  Get every detail in writing so you can make comparisons.
• What materials will be used?  Paint manufacturers offer several grades, and you will get what you pay for. If you want the best, specify it by manufacturer and product name.
• How many finish coats will be applied in addition to a primer, if needed? Some painters will slide by with primer tinted to the finish color (it's cheaper) and one finish coat after stating they bid it for two finish coats. 

If our number is higher, it's usually because we were going to do more work and use better materials, or the competitor planned to take shortcuts, or didn't understand the job and underbid. It's that simple. 

Comparing the Estimates

Once you have the estimates, it's time to make a systematic evaluation. 

• Compare the scope of work and the steps to be taken. If you weren't given enough information, you can't rely on that estimate to be accurate.
• Review the qualifications of the workers if you care about clean work habits and want to have paint applied to professional standards, such as crisp lines and no paint where it shouldn't go, like your wood floors, cabinets, driveway, patio, plants or windows. Sometimes paint can't be removed without doing damage. 
• Confirm the exact materials each bidder is using and tell them you will verify the materials if they're hired. 
• Confirm the number of finish coats in the estimate. 
• Your impression of the professionalism and integrity of the company. Are you comfortable at the prospect of having them at your home? Do they have references or a web site where you can learn more about them? Are they established in your community? How long have they been in business? 
• Professional color consulting services. We believe that using well-chosen colors is essential to a successful outcome, so Sandy LeRoy provides a free color and detailing consultation to every painting client. Sandy is a Certified Color Strategist who uses color science and the latest technology and methods. If you need help with colors, this service is invaluable. Do any of the other bidders offer something comparable? 
• Price.

Set up a grid and enter the information from each estimate. Notice that the price is the last basis of comparison because it depends on the preceding items. If you're not comparing apples with apples, you're in the dark about the estimate that represents the best value.

Beware of the Low Bid

Beware of an unusually low bid because it normally means the bidder:

• didn't understand the scope of work
• intended to take shortcuts, usually in the preparation phase
• uses unskilled or temporary labor and pays them cash
• plans to use lower grade materials
• isn't operating as a reliable, accountable business

In Conclusion...

Painting done correctly can have many significant, positive effects on your house, far beyond what the work costs, so it's well worth hiring the right people who are going to do things the way they should be done. It's the best value for your money in the long run. 

If you require professionalism, high standards, integrity and work that looks great and lasts, please call me at 828-692-4355. We'll talk about your project and I'll schedule an estimate with Roger. On the other hand, if the most important thing is to find the lowest bid, we're probably not the best choice.

Don't Default to White

One of the most common and jarring color mistakes I see is the use of plain white paint on ceilings and on interior and exterior trim, apparently without determining whether or not it's a good choice. I'm guessing that these things get painted white by default in the mistaken belief that it's "safe" because it's usually what people do, and finding a wall color they liked was stressful enough. After all, plain white goes with everything, doesn't it? Or does it?

White Ceiling and Trim By Default

Don't get me wrong. I like white, even plain white, when it's used in the right way, with the right wall colors and in the right places. But unfortunately I usually see it used with high contrast and/or neutralized wall colors and with natural materials like granite, wood, stone and tile. It's a combination that's unflattering to all participants because when there's no common color present to tie everything together, what your eyes see is the way they're different, and that sets up the perception that something isn't quite right.

Keeping It Simple: Basic Things to Consider When Choosing a White

Hue Family of the Wall Color

Every color, unless it's pure white, pure black, or white with varying amounts of black added, can be traced to a hue parent (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). The hue family of your wall color is where you should start to find the right white for the ceiling and/or trim.

Tint, Tone or Shade?

After you identify the hue parent, decide if the color is a tint (hue plus white), a tone (hue plus gray), or a shade (hue plus black).

Think of tints as pastels and tones and shades as neutralized colors. If your wall color is a tint, avoid the neutralized whites. If your wall color is a tone or a shade, avoid the tint whites. Fortunately, clear, bright tint colors are easy to spot when you're standing in front of the displays at the paint store, helping you to stay in the right area when you're looking for a white that will work.

For example, if you use a neutralized member of the yellow family (a tone or shade) on the walls, look for a neutralized white from the yellow family for the trim. If you have a tint yellow on the walls, use a white tinted with yellow for the trim. If your wall color is a neutral such as a taupe that looks like a green/brown combination, your off-white trim should have at least one of these components.

This isn't the only approach to choosing a white,  just a way to keep it simple.

How Much Contrast?

Deciding how much contrast you want between the ceiling, walls and trim should be based in part on how much attention you want to focus on them. With higher contrast colors you need to be sure that that the trim has merit and is attractive and well-proportioned.

A Collection of Boxes

For exteriors this is especially important because treating functional banding boards as trim and painting them in a high contrast color like plain white is very unflattering and undermines the crucial sense of unity and harmony. After all, you don't want your house to look like a collection of boxes... For interior trim, unless it's unusually large and lovely, consider painting the crown and baseboards in the wall color or in a low contrast accent color from the same family to make the room look larger. 

LRV (Light Reflectance Value)

If you've decided to have white trim, you can choose a white with exactly the right amount of contrast by looking up the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) for your wall color and then for the whites you're considering. 

Paint manufacturers determine the LRV for each color they make by measuring it with a device and numbering the result on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being the blackest black and 100 being the most reflective white. An LRV of 50 is the happy medium and the standard for residential interior wall colors. To see contrast between two colors you usually need a difference of at least 7 points. In addition to finding LRV numbers on line at each manufacturer's web site, you can find the values for Sherwin Williams colors on the back of the paint strip and the values for Benjamin Moore colors at the back of the fan deck in numerical and alphabetical order. Comparing LRV values eliminates the need to guess about contrast and is easy to do.

To Sum It Up:

Use plain white for your ceilings and trim only if you love it and after you've done the homework to be sure it works with your wall color. While you're at it, consider branching out by using a color other than plain white. There's a universe of beautiful colors to choose from, and one or more of them is probably a much better choice.

How to Choose a Paint Color for Exterior Stairs

Before - Stair Risers Accented in the Trim Color

It's fairly common to see front stairs and risers painted different colors, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's the best approach. I believe that the only details that should be painted an accent color are the ones that deserve the attention, and stair risers usually don't qualify for the spotlight. 

In the "Before" picture the stair risers were painted in the trim color and the deck and stair treads were painted a green that clashed with the yellow walls and the cement walkway. Between the excessive accenting and the color clashes, far too much was going on. 

The house was about to go on the market and it was essential that the picture of the exterior for the MLS listing have maximum appeal. In a perfect world I would have recommended a color change for the walls, front door and storm door, but that wasn't in the budget. 

After - Treads, Risers and Deck Painted One Color

The deck and stairs were in poor condition and had to be painted. That created the opportunity to make the house a little bit more photogenic by correcting the color disharmony and reducing the number of accented details.  

I recommended using a single color on the deck, treads and risers, one that was chosen to coordinate with the house and cement walkway.  In the "After"  picture you see the benefits of treating the stairs and deck as a single unit. 

Some Color Considerations for Exterior Stairs

Here are some color considerations for exterior stairs, particularly front stairs:

• What are the colors in the permanent details of the house and landscaping, such as in roof, walkways, stone foundation, key flowering plants, etc.? You have to consider all these colors when choosing the stair color.
• What paint colors are used on the house and trim (wall color, front door color, trim color(s), etc.)? Do they work well with the permanent details? The stair color should coordinate with everything. You might be able to use the stair color to create more color harmony between the house colors and the colors of the permanent details, if needed. 

• Consider the architecture of the house. Are there already lots of accents, or does the house need more? If more pizzazz is needed, are accented stairs the best way to provide it?

I think restraint is usually the best approach to accenting, so my preference in most cases is to use a single color for stair treads and risers. As the "Before" and "After" pictures demonstrate, using one color creates better flow because your eye takes in the stairs as a single unit, as opposed to seeing the stair components. 

What you might have thought to be a simple matter, painting the stairs, is in fact something that has a big effect and deserves thought.

When it comes to color selection, whether it's for stairs, the whole exterior, or for the inside of your house, success comes down to choosing the right colors and using them in the right places. Color selection is the phase that receives the most emphasis, but I believe that where you put the colors is equally important. Color placement done correctly is a powerful tool that can correct many design shortcomings, showcase the best, hide the rest and help your house live up to its potential.

If you have a painting project coming up and would like help with choosing and placing colors, call me at 828-692-4355 to schedule a color and design consultation. If we do the painting for you, this help is a free part of our services.