Once again it’s one of those busy weeks. After stenciling the floor in our bath and closet, squeezing in some seasonal crafts, and installing extra-thick crown molding in Clara’s room, we’re now sealing the stenciled floors, finishing the canopy wall in Clara’s room, ripping up the old carpeting on our stairs, and impatiently waiting to grout the sunroom tile as soon as the weather dries up (Mother Nature has been teasing us with rain). In the middle of all that, we received a question that felt worth answering in depth. Here it is:
Q: Do you two ever make painting mistakes? I feel like I’m always choosing the wrong color, or even worse, not picking anything at all because I’m so intimidated to make the wrong choice. After all these years of painting walls, trim, doors, ceilings, and even floors, do you have any tips for me? I’d love a roundup of paint mistakes you’ve made and what they taught you, mostly just to see if I can save myself from a similar fate! – Marta F.
A: We like to think we have a decent eye for paint, and we usually start with a clear vision. We hold swatches up in the room, observe them in different lighting, and often buy test pots when we’re undecided. Still, we’ve made our share of mistakes, and they taught us a lot. Below are the most memorable ones and the lessons we drew from each.
#1 – The Amazing Technicolor Dream House.
Early on, in our first house, we painted nearly every room a different, unrelated color: tiffany blue here, mint green there, and then a room that combined yellow and red tones that clashed horribly. The result felt chaotic and disjointed. We repainted most rooms to create a cohesive palette and the house immediately flowed better. The rooms stopped competing with each other and the space felt larger and calmer.
Lesson learned: Think about how colors flow from room to room. In smaller homes or when you want a smoother transition, limit the number of distinct colors in your overall palette. Bold colors can work wonderfully together if they’re chosen with cohesion in mind; random, unrelated hues tend to make a home feel choppy.
#2 – An Unappetizing Glow.
We once picked a yellowish-green (“grellow”) for a kitchen. We liked the shade, but it cast a warm yellow glow onto all the white surfaces, making cabinets and counters look cream instead of the purer whites we preferred. It wasn’t a photography issue — it was a real effect in the space. We repainted the room a medium blue, which neutralized that yellow reflection and made the whites appear truer.
Lesson learned: Consider how a color will influence surfaces around it, especially glossy or white finishes. Bold or warm tones can cast hues onto counters, cabinets, and floors; think about those interactions before committing.
#3 – Subtle Becomes Not-So-Subtle In Concentration.
We generally prefer desaturated colors with gray or brown undertones for a subtle, sophisticated look. A swatch that reads muted on a small sample can become unexpectedly vibrant when painted across an entire wall or used inside a small, enclosed space. We learned this the hard way when a soft pink that looked perfect for Clara’s ceiling became intense inside her closet under artificial light. The ceiling looked lovely, but the closet version felt much brighter. Because Clara loves it, we’re keeping it with plans to balance it with other elements.
Lesson learned: A color that works on one surface or in one lighting condition might not translate to another. Always test colors in the exact space and lighting where they’ll live—including small, enclosed areas and under artificial lights.
#4 – Exteriors Are Counter-Intuitive.
Exterior paint can be tricky because direct sunlight washes out colors. We once chose a lighter exterior gray that read much paler in the bright afternoon sun and almost disappeared. We caught it while it was being applied and switched to a noticeably darker shade before it was too late. That saved us from a very visible mistake.
Lesson learned: For exteriors, don’t be afraid to go darker or more saturated than you would indoors; bright sunlight can wash colors out. Always test a sample on the actual exterior surface and view it at different times of day.
#5 – Not All Exterior Choices Fail.
We also nearly panicked over a subtle blue we selected for the sunroom ceiling. While spraying the planks outdoors, the color looked almost invisible and we worried we’d chosen too faint a tone. We prepared a plan B but once the planks were installed out of direct light and against crisp trim, the subtle blue read exactly as we hoped: soft and cohesive. The paint deepened slightly as it dried and the overall effect was perfect.
Lesson learned: Don’t judge a color solely when it’s laying on the ground or wet. Paint can look different once applied, assembled, and fully dry. Evaluate paint in its final location, in typical lighting, and give it time to dry before making a final call.
The overarching truth from these experiences is simple: even with careful swatch testing, multiple lighting checks, and sample pots, you won’t know exactly how a color will behave until the job is finished. It may look different at certain times of day, react with other materials in the room, or feel more or less intense once it covers all four walls. That’s normal. We’ve learned from our “oops” moments and now rely on those lessons when choosing color.
Here’s the mantra we repeat when we’re nervous about a paint choice: “It’s only paint.” It’s comforting because most color mistakes can be corrected, and the process of trying and adjusting is how you learn what works for your home.
Our Favorite Paint Colors
If you’re struggling to pick a color, consider reading detailed posts about our go-to paints:
- The 12 Best White Paint Colors
- Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
- Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Sherwin-Williams Pure White
- Sherwin-Williams Extra White