Choosing the right colour
based on light and space.
A colour is not just a colour. Screens, light, and surroundings affect how we experience colours. Here, we will give you a few points to consider when choosing colours for your home.
A colour is not just a colour. Screens, light, and surroundings affect how we experience colours. Here, we will give you a few points to consider when choosing colours for your home.
The natural inflow of light.
Colours are changeable. The same colour can present itself differently, depending on whether you see it on a screen, in a magazine, in your own home – even whether it’s on one wall or another in the same room. To a great extent, the natural inflow of light affects how bright we perceive a colour to be. South- and east-facing spaces often have warmer lighting than north- and northwest-facing spaces, benefiting from sunlight throughout most of the day.
See, for example, the photo below, where the colour “See You Cigar” has been painted on all the walls in the room, where the colour appears widely different from one wall to another. On the wall on the right-hand side, there is a large window, making the same wall appear dark as it does not benefit from the lighting, but making the wall diagonally opposite appear lighter.
Applied light.
Natural lighting can be difficult to change, but the lighting we apply ourselves can also affect the colour. It is a good idea to remember that cool lighting, such as that provided by LED lighting, will naturally make the colours in a space appear cooler. A greyish tone can seem a bit more blue, while a brown shade can appear more grey.
Incandescent bulbs provide more golden lighting, making the colours in a space appear warmer. We often associate this type of lighting with cosiness, and in sufficiently dim lighting, it can be associated with candlelight.
Colours on screen.
You should also take into account how different screens affect our experience of a colour. Unless you are sitting by a freshly calibrated screen, you may risk that the colour appears slightly different than if you were to see it in real life. If you compare the same photo on your phone and computer screen, you may be able to tell the difference. And if you adjust the lighting on your screen, this will also have an impact on the way you perceive the colour.
You can get a really good sense of our colours by seeing them on your screen, but it is a good thing to remember that the experience of a colour can deviate a bit from reality.
Test the colours.
With our 100% accurate colour samples, we have made it easy for you to see the colour in your home. The samples have an adhesive back so you can stick them on your wall and move them around in your home to see the colour on different walls in different lighting.
This also means that you will not need to whip out the paintbrush to test the colour on your walls. The samples are carefully manufactured in Italy with our own Pure Matt quality paint and are therefore 100% accurate in colour.
We will always recommend that you order a couple of samples before you make your decision. That way, you can be sure that you are not misled by the settings on your screen or by inspirational photos on Instagram.
