Using a Color Wheel to Choose a Paint Color

Since there are so many options available, choosing a paint color can be an overwhelming experience for the average homeowner. Hundreds of paint swatches, produced by a multitude of paint companies, make it quite difficult to settle on the perfect color.

To make it easier for you to narrow down the choices, it’s wise to use a tool that the professional painter relies on – the color wheel. There are about 7 million colors distinguishable to the human eye and using a color wheel helps separate colors into “families” and will showcase all the different hues as well.

It’s best to rely on a professional painter’s advice when you’re choosing a color. Whatever room you’re working with, try to pair two different colors together instead of a different shade of the same hue.

The three color families you’ll find when using a color wheel are:

• Primary Colors: All colors come from primary colors, except white. Blue, yellow and red are the primary colors; only true combinations of these three colors will make secondary colors.
• Secondary Colors: If you mix equal amounts of two primary colors it will create secondary colors. The combination of red and blue colors make violet, blue and yellow colors make green and red and yellow colors make orange.
• Tertiary Colors: To make a tertiary color, mix one primary color with larger amounts of another primary color. For instance, one part green mixed with two parts yellow will make lighter green.

Using a color wheel will help you combine a cooler color with a warmer one, for a beautiful contrast in your room. The color wheel can make it easier to choose your paint and wallpaper colors, but it’s probably best to seek advice from a professional.

Connect with us to consult with our color experts – they have great color advice and can answer any questions you may have as you choose colors for your next indoor project.