How To Select A Colour

Demystify the Colour Wheel

To get started, take a look at a colour wheel: Warm reds, yellows, and oranges congregate on one side, while cool lavenders, blues and greens are on the other. Creating a palette within one half of the wheel tends to be more harmonious. But pairing two colours that stand opposite one another adds a dash of invigorating tension. Which do you prefer? 

Helpful colour wheel terms:

• A monochromatic colour scheme uses tints and shades of the same colour.
• An analogous colour scheme uses adjacent colours on the colour wheel.
• Complementary colour schemes (as in "opposites attract") include two colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel.

Test. Observe. Repeat.

Experimenting and observation is key. 

To make sure you choose your colour with confidence, tap into pint-size colour samples. With these handy samples, you can paint a board – foam core will do nicely – and move it around to different parts of a room. Monitor how the paint colour changes at different times of the day so there are no surprises once you’ve applied your paint colour choice.

Sheen 101

Sheen puts the finishing statement on your colour of choice:

• Flat/Ulti-Matte – low sheen, very forgiving
• Matte/Eggshell – Durable, flexible for most parts of the home
• Semi-Gloss – Luminous finish that highlights architectural details

Visit an independently owned Benjamin Moore retailer to see sheen samples–first hand–before you decide.