Have you ever painted a room only to find that the colour looks completely different from the swatch? Many people don’t realize that an object’s colour changes over the day, depending on the lighting available. That’s why you should always consider the type of lighting that exists in the area you’re painting to avoid disappointment.
Here’s a quick guide to how you can gauge the effect of lighting on your selected paint colour and how you can adjust your choice to achieve the exact look you’re looking for.
Natural Lighting
The location of the room makes a big difference in the amount of sunlight you get during the day. The room’s purpose is also another considering factor when it comes to painting colour. If you usually spend your time there in the evening, you may want a colour that can brighten the room without natural light.
North-Facing Rooms
Light in these rooms is cooler and sway bluish, making dark paints look darker and light colours more subdued. We recommend sticking to warmer tones to avoid your space looking cold and dull. Don’t be afraid to use bolder colours either! They will show up better than muted colours.
South-Facing Rooms
South-facing rooms get the most natural light, and most colours will look great in these spaces. It’ll amplify lighter colours and make darker colours appear brighter. You may have to slightly adjust the shade to avoid the room looking too washed out in the day.
East-Facing Rooms
Natural light from the East is warm and yellow before noon and gets progressively darker and bluer throughout the day. So you might want to consider when you spend the most time in the room. Cool colours will look their best in the morning, while warmer undertones will show up better later in the day.
West-Facing Rooms
West-facing rooms have the opposite experience to east-facing rooms. They tend to be greyer in the morning and get warmer later in the day. Again, you’ll want to consider when you spend the most time in the room and choose a paint colour accordingly.
Artificial Lighting
Each type of bulb is different, and you can control the colour and hue of a room using appropriate artificial lighting.
Fluorescent: gives off a blue hue and works well with cooler colours. It tends to dull warmer tones, so you may have to choose brighter shades to balance it out.
Incandescent: gives off warm light with yellow undertones. It will enhance warm colours like reds, oranges, and yellows, and dull cooler tones.
Halogen lights: gives off a white light, so it won’t change colours as much as others. It’ll generally make all colours appear more vibrant.
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