Lighting and color go hand in hand. You can have great color but it you have poor lighting, you color can look very different. Keep in mind your lighting when choosing your colors. Look at the color of the shades and bulbs because that will modify how the color will look in your space.
Choosing your color
Color Tip: Keep in mind that each of these lighting fixtures will change the way that color is viewed in your room. In other words, these fixtures will add a yellow cast to your room color – especially the fixture on the top right. I know because that is the lamp that is in my office and I have to be super careful NOT to have that on when I am viewing colors for a project. Here’s what may happen:
See how the color swatch on the right has more of a yellow undertone? This is very typical of the color changes that happens when you have a very yellow bulb or shade. I rely on natural light or a cleaner light source when I am viewing colors in my office.
Great to see you here Donna, your one of the best!
You’re so sweet! I really need to post more color tips here but time is always a concern. I’ll will surely try! Thanks Nick.
A great tip! It’s always super important to take the paint chits home (if choosing a colour in the store) and make sure you like they way they look in your own lighting and not just under the super-bright lights in the paint aisle.
Another really important tip is to hold your paint chips vertically, not flat, when viewing – just like if it’s on the wall. Choosing color is so complicated isn’t it?
Donna,
thank you for sharing this information online!
I own an electrical contractor business and recently did the electrical for a remodel and this topic came up. It’s important that a home owner considers how lighting impacts the tone for sure.
Last year, I actually repainted a family friend’s guest bathroom for this very reason. She ended up pulling down her old light fixture (one of those wall-mounted ones with the bare bulbs) and put in canned lighting, and it completely changed the color of the walls. It was such a problem to her that she actually had her husband put the old light bulbs in the new cans until I could get over there to repaint.
We are an interior designer in Michigan, and this is one challenge we always face with clients. Lighting is a major factor in what we do. Doing it right is important. And educating the client is key.
Very true indeed…education to the client is definitely key…when it comes to remodeling and paint, the client does not always understand the external factors that can impact the finished job. Paint can be tricky in a number of way, with lighting being on of them.
It’s also important to tell our clients that the color will look different in daylight and nightlight. I know that so obvious to us but I’ve actually had clients say that the color looks a lot darker at night.
What colors do you find most difficult to work with? I find the muted hues really react strongly to poor light.