When you go to the paint store to select a new color for your kitchen or family room, your task can be difficult and frustrating. The colors of the sample cards in the store can look very different when painted on the walls. That is why paint manufacturers have developed sample jars; so you can test a patch of color in your home on your lighting and against furniture, flooring and other aspects of your room. But even if you made a mistake and painted it all over your walls, paint color mistakes can be corrected.
1. If the color is too bright and daring
Dramatically bold colors like orange and bright blue for a wall or two in a room are all the rage and you may have jumped on the trendy color train only to find it looks too loud. This is especially true if your other walls are completely white; there is simply too much contrast. Dim it by painting white walls in a neutral shade that balances the bold color, such as gray to balance blue or tan to balance orange.
2. If there is an unpleasant surprise
If you start painting a color on the walls and it looks bad, return the can to the store and ask them to mix in a color-correcting pigment to a shade that is more in harmony with your room. Bring along a fabric swatch or accessory that contains the shade you are trying to match.
3. If the color is cheeky or off
Sometimes the paint color gamut is just right, but it looks too dull or too cheeky on the walls. The problem could be the lighting in your room – switching from fluorescent to soft incandescent bulbs could make a difference. A dimmer switch might also help.
4. If the color clashes with your furniture
If what you thought would be a color arrangement is more like a clash of colors, painting trim and other features like wall cabinets or crown molding can make a big difference in the impact and interplay of colors in a room. For example, some shades of stain used in carpentry can make a shade of yellow on the walls appear more orange. Painting the woodwork white will neutralize that effect. You can also correct the color by changing the accents in the room: to tone down that same shade of yellow on the walls, add orange and red in accents; use purple or green if you want to make yellow pop.
5. If the color is too bright
Washing the color with a polish that is a few shades lighter than the existing wall color will help diffuse the shine. Create a smooth pattern by dipping a slightly damp cloth or sponge into the polish and rubbing it on the wall to soften the contrast between the base color and the polish. This technique will also add dramatic texture to your walls.