How to Sample Paint Color

Paint can be very tricky! I always recommend that before painting an entire room, test your paint color on a few pieces of poster board or scraps of dry wall. Make sure to paint at least two coats of your color on the sample boards for good coverage and post the boards on different walls within the room. Then…live with these boards for a couple of days to see how the color looks in different light. You may not get the result you want the first time you test a paint color. But by testing, you will be able to gauge whether to go lighter, darker, warmer or cooler from that point.

It is important to use the intended lighting to get a true test of the color. In other words, if you plan to use incandescent lamps, place the color boards near those light sources. This will give you a more realistic idea of what the walls will look like. The same color under fluorescent lighting or natural daylight can look like an entirely different color!

Try not to paint yourself into a corner! By this I mean, plan an entire color scheme, not just one room. If you can see one room from another, make sure the two color schemes harmonize. A good rule of thumb is to take at least one of the colors from one room’s scheme and use it in the color scheme for the adjacent room(s).

One last thought. If your home is small or if the architecture is open from one room to the next, instead of using many colors in your scheme, consider using only 2 or 3 and varying the shade from one room to the next. You’ll have the feeling of different spaces but without chopping it up like an Easter egg.

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About the Author

Debbie Talianko (Allied ASID, CID) is an accomplished Sierra Madre residential interior designer, speaker and industry mentor whose firm has perfected the design of casually elegant interiors.

A San Diego native who grew up near the cliffs of Point Loma, Talianko received a Diploma with Distinction in Professional Interior Design from Rhodec International in London.

“I love classic design but without all the fuss. I’d define my style as transitional – clean, calm and casual.”

Whether managing a complete home renovation, a formal living room design or a kitchen upgrade, her aesthetic is defined by order and fluidity; incorporating relaxed silhouettes, fine fabrics and traditional or modern furnishings that are meticulously crafted. Her passion for the design process allows her to create consistent results for clients who expect a custom interior that lets them feel like themselves at home.

In 2012, Talianko was elected Chair of Pasadena’s California Home & Kitchen Tour, a showcase, now in it’s 26th year, that features the American Society of Interior Designers’ (ASID) most distinguished designers. She is currently featured as “best interior designer of Pasadena” by KeyInteriorDesigners.com.