Choosing the right paint for your home can be a real challenge at times. There are few things that are more frustrating than choosing just the right paint color at the store, only to come home and find that it looks totally different now that you are home. What happened? There is actually some science behind the way paint color looks in different lighting. L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc would like to shed some light on metamerism and what it means to you as you choose the right paint colors for your home.
What is Metamerism in Color?
It is fairly widely known that color is actually non-existent without light. When there is truly an absence of light, color doesn’t exist. Metamerism in a nutshell, is the phenomenon that happens when color can look different under different lights. It can happen anytime whether you are inside or outside. Different types of light have a way of making colors look completely different, and that is metamerism.
What Effect Does Fluorescent & Artificial Light Have on Paint Color?
There are several different types of bulbs used to create artificial light. Each of these bulbs have a different effect on color. Halogen, Incandescent, fluorescent, full spectrum or soft white bulbs are all different bulbs you would find indoors. Halogen bulbs produce white light that has a bright and cool effect. Incandescent bulbs give off a warm glow. This will bring out warmer colors such as yellow. Fluorescent lighting creates a very cool light and can bring out blue tones in color. When you use full spectrum lights, you are using the closest thing you can get to neutral light. With all of these types of bulbs that create different light, it’s no wonder picking the right color is so challenging.
Does Natural Sunlight Effect Paint Colors?
Another consideration you should make is the amount of natural sunlight the room you are painting will receive. Sunlight has a very warm glow in the early morning and afternoon. As the day goes on, you will notice the light outside will start to cool off, and things start to have a cooler, or even blue at times, look to them. Think about what kind of sunlight your room receives.
Test Paint Colors in Wall & Rooms of Home You Want Painted
Most of the time, you can purchase a small sample can of paint from the store. It is ideal if you can paint a small area of the room before finalizing the paint color for your space. That way you can see what it looks like in several types of light all throughout the day. You will want to use the artificial lighting that is available in that room, along with the natural lighting you will see throughout the day. This will help you decide if that color choice is going to work for you or not.
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When choosing your paint colors for your space, metamerism is an important consideration to make. The science behind the way color shifts and changes under different lights will be the deciding factor in whether or not that color will work for you. L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc can help consult with you in choosing the right color for your space as well. We offer interior and exterior painting and would like to simplify the process for you today!