Pick your paint colour — with your computer

Make the selection easier with sample web sites

By Heather Camlot

Painting is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to change the look and feel of your home, but picking a paint colour can leave you feeling dizzy and cross-eyed.

Luckily, there are ways to make the selection and painting process a whole lot simpler: most big-name paint companies now have online tools to help you choose the right paint colour for your home.

Focusing in on your palette

Farla Efros, a Toronto-based partner in a consulting firm, went to Para Paints to help narrow down colour schemes. “Buying my first house and having to pick colours was very intimidating,” she explains. “I wanted to hone in on the shades instead of going to the store and being completely overwhelmed.”

One thing to note when selecting colours from a web site: those onscreen colours may not be 100 per cent accurate. The reason? The colour on your monitor is light-induced; paint is not, explains Jane Lockhart, host of Colour Confidential on W Network. “These tools are great for inspiration and can help some people to visualize their spaces,” she says.

Choosing the best colour for your room

Whether you begin online or in-store, Lockhart offers a few tips.

Start with some kind of inspiration, be it from a magazine or a piece of fabric.
Keep in mind that colour should support the items you already or hope to own.
Always take a paint swatch (or two) home, and test the colour before painting.
Always look at your paint swatches under the lighting you’ll have in that particular room.
Never ignore what’s in your room. If you want to hide an orange carpet, pick a paint colour that blends, such as pale yellow or warm orange, rather than contrasts.

Finding the look

Here are some of the best sites to look to for inspiration before you paint your next room.

Colour selection

BEHR
BEHR’s inspiration for interiors, found in ColorSmart under My Workbook, begins with 15 categories, divided into colour family, life stage, mood and style. Next come pre-determined colour combinations as represented by paint swatches and photographs. (Photos in the Festive category, for example, include a carousel horse and air balloons.) The appropriate colour names and numbers appear, as well as the option to preview them on walls, accent, trim and ceiling. If you decide to modify the colour, the new name and number will be provided. You can save and print your work. You can also calculate the amount of paint you’ll need, read articles and get expert advice to help you achieve the look you want.

Benjamin Moore Canada
This site features a paint calculator, painting techniques, problem-solving tips, trends and a scrapbook to collect ideas and surface preparation advice. Check out the Virtual Fan Deck for all the available colours. The Personal Colour Viewer will lead you to a section where you can paint sample photos or your own digital photos. Save your creation or print your colour palette to take with you to the store. You can also calculate how much paint you’ll need and find out where the nearest Benjamin Moore location is.

Pittsburgh Paints
Pittsburgh Paints lets you select a photo to paint or use your own digital photo. With both versions, you get to play with all the company’s colours divided into nine fun palettes, including al fresco, pop art and warm desert spice. Still can’t decide? Try the colour game to help you determine your colour personality.

Painting techniques

Ralph Lauren Home
Ralph Lauren knows style. Upon entering the Polo site, you’ll discover interactive videos that demonstrate how to create enviable walls with some paint and a few handy tools. The 13 technique videos, from Antique Leather to Regent Metallics to Indigo Denim, begin with tools, length of time and tips necessary to accomplish each look. Other videos include how to measure and tape a room and a lesson in basic painting. Colours and finishes are also available for viewing online.

Faux Painting Techniques
If you’re into faux painting, this is the place. The Winnipeg-based site offers over 20 different finishes to choose from, divided into stone, effects, metals and stencilling. Each finish comes with explanations, instructions, images that can be enlarged, and related articles. If you need more help, you can e-mail, post a question on one of the message boards or review painting tips.