Why Is It So Hard to Find the Perfect Paint Colour? (And How Interior Designers Do It)

Have you ever fallen in love with a paint colour in someone else's home or from an image you've seen online, only to paint it in your own home and realise it looks completely different?

You're not imagining it.

One of the biggest frustrations when decorating is discovering that the colour you thought you loved doesn't look quite the same once it's on your walls.

The reality is that paint colours can look surprisingly different from one home to another.

Light, flooring, furnishings and even the direction a room faces can all influence how a colour appears once it's on your walls.

A north-facing room can make colours appear cooler, while south-facing spaces often bring out warmer undertones.

This is why choosing the perfect paint colour can feel surprisingly difficult.

Here's How the Professionals Do It

Interior designers face this challenge all the time. Their secret? Sampling colours before making a final decision.

Ideally, you want samples that are large enough to give a true impression of the colour, rather than relying on a tiny chip from a colour chart. Better still, they should be created using real paint so you can see an accurate representation of the colour in your own home.

Once you've got your samples, there are a few simple techniques that can help you make the right choice.

Create a Mood Board

Start with a physical mood board.

Arrange your paint samples alongside fabrics, flooring samples, hardware finishes, wood tones and inspiration images to see how everything works together.

This helps bring your scheme to life and can often narrow down your choices long before any decorating begins.

Move Them Around the Room

Don't stick your sample in one place and make a decision immediately.

Move it around different walls and corners of the room. Light changes dramatically throughout a space, and colours can behave very differently depending on where they're viewed.

Look at Them Morning, Noon and Evening

A colour can look completely different throughout the day.

Spend a few days living with your samples and observe them in natural daylight, bright sunshine, overcast conditions and artificial light before making your decision.

Compare Colours Side by Side

Often the hardest part isn't choosing a colour — it's choosing between several beautiful colours.

Viewing samples side by side allows undertones to become much clearer and can make the final decision far easier.

What's Different About Our Paint Samples?

Our peel & stick paint samples are a little different.

Unlike printed colour cards, each sample is hand-rollered by one of our team using real Verus Paint, allowing you to see the true colour in your own home.

Each sample is:

• A generous A5 size, making it easier to appreciate the colour properly
• Easy to move around your room without damaging walls
• Completely mess-free
• No drying time required
• Fully recyclable once you've made your decision

Choose With Confidence

Once you've used your samples like a professional, you can feel confident that you're choosing the right colour for your home.

The right paint colour can completely transform a room, and taking the time to test it properly helps ensure there are no costly surprises once the decorating begins.

And with Verus Paint, you can enjoy the process knowing you're choosing a paint that's 100% VOC-free, toxin-free and designed to create a healthier home environment.

If you're new to the topic, our guide to Low VOC vs VOC-Free Paint: What's the Difference? explains why that matters.

Find Your Perfect Colour

Explore our collection of hand-rollered peel & stick samples and discover how your favourite Verus colours look in your own home.