4 Paint Tips: Understanding Undertones and Selecting the Perfect Colour for Your Home

Paint may seem like an easy solution but more thought goes into a successful paint choice than one may think...

When renovating a space, the selection that most clients seem to dread is paint. There are an unlimited number of hues, shades, tints, and tones to choose from so it can easily become an overwhelming task. Paint is also a selection frequently put on the back burner, chosen after the other materials and finishes are finalized; this is where it goes wrong.

1. Continuous consideration:

Walls make up the largest or second largest surface area of a space depending on the room’s dimensions – therefore, it will significantly impact the overall design. I always suggest considering your paint colours throughout the entire process as each product will interact with the paint colour differently. Some colours are considered warm, others cold and the finishes paired with them greatly influence how the colour is perceived. The undertones you see relate to the colour’s underlying hue and are especially important in “neutrals” such as greys, off-whites, beiges, and greiges.

2. Let’s talk about terminology:

Hue: the colour in its pure form on the colour wheel (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)

Tints: lighter version of a hue (add white to a hue to lighten/mute it)

Tones: a hue mixed with grey (a more dull/muted colour, this helps make a bold colour more palatable)

Shades: a darker, moodier version of a hue (adding black to a hue to darken/mute it)

3. Paper samples are not enough:

As a decorator, I love the variation in style and personality between every client but when it comes to paint, I often specify the same neutrals. Don’t get me wrong, neutrals are my favourite pallet to work with and they are often a safe choice but that does not make them easy to coordinate. All neutrals are a tint, tone, or shade derived from a hue which is why some greys look blue and some off-whites look pink or yellow. This is why colour consultations are crucial; seeing these undertones does not come easy to some until it is applied on the larger scale of walls – then it is too late. Once colours are narrowed down from paper samples, it is always a good idea to paint swatches directly onto the wall after they are primed. A white primer offers a pure white canvas, preventing the previous wall colour from influencing the look of the swatches.

4. Not every home needs a white picket fence:

The biggest misconception I have heard is that trim and ceilings need to be white – they most certainly do not! Sometimes painting casing and baseboards a darker tone lends itself well to a modern or contemporary style, whereas pure white is more traditional or transitional. Ceilings are also the forgotten 5th wall of a room and can make an incredible impact if designed correctly. Offices, powder rooms, and dining rooms are a great place to utilize the ceiling and can create an illusion that draws the eye upward, making the room either feel taller or shorter depending on the application.

Next time you are stuck on that stubborn paint selection, send me a message! I would love to work with you to guide your decision to ensure you choose a colour you won’t regret. Otherwise, I have included my favourite neutrals below.

Sherwin Williams Drift of Mist (SW 9166) – warm

Sherwin Williams Crushed Ice (SW 7647) – light pending

Sherwin Williams Eider White (SW 7014) – warm

Sherwin Williams Ripe Olive (SW 6209) – green black

Benjamin Moore White Winged Dove (1457) – warm

Benjamin Moore Etiquette (AF-50) – warm

Benjamin Moore Vapour (AF-35) - light pending

Benjamin Moore Artichoke (2141-10) – green black

Behr Spun Wool (N220-1) – warm

Behr Crème de la Crème (MQ3-33) – warm

Behr Bit of Sugar (PR-W14)- light pending

Behr Black Mocha (PPU24-01) – warm black

IMPORTANT: Even the most popular or highly recommended paint colours will look different in every home, every room and every time of day - be sure to move your samples around and look at them at them in the morning, afternoon and evening.