Trying colour options at home

How about a soft blue for your dining room? 

Whyte Blue (HC 143) was chosen Benjamin 

Moore's 2012 colour of the year. It is described 

as "a beautiful, calming blue that has an element 

of heritage and offers grounding rootedness, 

providing comfort and stability".

So you've been to the paint store. With a number of paint chips in hand, you are now ready to make the final decision. Or are you? It's not uncommon to find that colours that looked great in the store look completely different at home. The difference has to do with lighting conditions and surrounding colours. That's why I recommend that you always buy sample cans of your paint candidates before committing to a colour. Many local paint stores now offer these small cans for $5 to $8 per unit, a small investment for making an informed decision.

Try the colours at home. Paint generous samples (about 18" square) of all candidates. Repeat the procedure on different walls in the space. Live with the painted squares for a few days. How do they look at different times of the day? How do they make you feel? How do they combine with your furniture, rugs, and adjacent rooms? Hopefully, there will be a clear winner among your samples!