It is all too common that someone picks a really good color on the swatch and runs home to paint the walls only to find that the color looks all wrong in various lighting through the day, months, and even year. To help you avoid this mistake, we at McKay’s Painting would like to offer some insight on how the paint interacts with light. Depending on two basic things, dictates how we see the color, they include:
1) The light that absorbs in an object. Blue absorbs red, white absorbs no color, and blacks absorbs all colors.
2) The function of the light source. Throughout the day, natural light (sunlight) changes and the color will be affected by a room’s location as a result. With the type of bulb you use dictates the impact of artificial light.
Best Paint Colors for East, West, North & South Facing Rooms
Before you drop cash on the paint, consider the guide below to determine how light affects the paint color you choose. The colors in the room changes with the amount and angle of the sun changes. When choosing color for a space, experts recommend considering the natural light, always.
East-facing rooms: Before noon, east light is warm and yellow, and later in the day, it becomes bluer. Reds, oranges and yellows are ideal in East-facing rooms.
West-facing rooms: While scant morning light can produce shadows and make colors look dull, the evening light in these rooms is beautiful and warm.
North-facing rooms: In these rooms, the light is cool and bluish. The lighter colors will look subdued and the bolder ones show up better than muted colors.
South-facing rooms: In cool and warm colors, the best is brought out with lots of high-in-the-sky light. Lighter colors will virtually glow and dark colors will look brighter.
What Light Bulb to Use with Different Pain Colors
Incandescent: while muting blues and greens, the warm, yellow-amber light of these bulbs will make oranges, reds, and yellows more vivid.
Halogens: All colors look more vibrant with these white lights that resemble natural light. From daylight to artificial light, halogens would make the shift less jarring.
Fluorescents: Blues and greens are enriched with this flat and cool light.
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs): LED lights are available in warm and cool bulbs.
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs): CFLs can produce either a warm white, neutral, or bluish-white light can be produced by CFLs.
Professional Painting Tips
1) With samples of the colors you’re considering, paint squares of primed drywall with at least 2 coats of paint, and then move them around the room during the day
2) During different daylight conditions, assess samples of carpet.
3) You can get a color approximation by placing a bulb you’ll be using in a floor or desk lamp.
4) Especially in summer when dusk lasts a long time, keep in mind that natural and artificial light will work together during certain times of day. To see what your colors will look like, turn on artificial lights even during daylight.
5) The color is also impacted by the sheen. Flat finishes are less reflective and allow colors to look truer under bright light while the glossy finishes will reflect light and change the way the color looks.
6) The colors of bold carpets can reflect on the light-colored walls. a bluish tone on a white wall can be cast from a bright blue rug for example.
Interior & Exterior Painting & More in Ventura, Ojai, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills & Santa Barbara California
No matter what color you ultimately decide, let the professionals of McKay Painting and let our certified technicians assist you. Call us today!
