Paint Visualizers to Help You Pick the Perfect Paint Color

One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to transform your home is with a fresh coat of paint. But with so many paint colors to choose from, how do you narrow down selections? Using a paint visualizer app or desktop tool is a great way to understand what a color might actually look like in your home.  

Given the size of physical paint chips, or paint-on color samples, it’s hard to get sense of what color looks like on a larger scale, taking into account room size and light conditions. That’s why paint visualizers are such a welcome, useful tool. You can experiment with lots of different colors, sheens and various daylight conditions to see what you like, and what you don’t. 

In addition to helping to stoke inspiration, paint color visualizers are an important confidence-building tool. 

“Accurate color representation is crucial because it sets the mood and feel of your home, ensuring that your chosen colors look great with your furniture and decor. Visualization tools help take the guesswork out of color selection, giving you real confidence in choosing just the right color,” says Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams’ director of color marketing. 

Here are some tips on how to use some of the most popular paint visualizers, and general advice on paint color selection.  

Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer   

The Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer lets you choose up to five different surfaces to “paint”, which is helpful for picking trim and secondary color combinations.  

Upload a photo of your room or use one of their vignettes for inspiration. Choose which surfaces you’d like to paint and then define those surfaces in more detail. Within the app are curated collections of Benjamin Moore shades.  

Pantone Color Studio  

Pantone is not a paint company, but it greatly influences paint color trends with its Color of the Year selections, and proprietary color matching system that is used across several different industries.  

Their downloadable  Color Studio app is subscription based, and users get access to their full library of 10,000+ shades. 

The app is geared for design professionals, but DIY design enthusiasts with a love for color will enjoy the creative process. The app taps into the camera roll on your phone and suggests color options. 

BEHR ColorSmart 

BEHR’s ColorSmart paint color visualizer offers a selection of pre-styled vignettes, or you can upload your own photos. Mix and match paints from BEHR’s library and try out various designer-inspired combinations. A useful feature with this app is the paint calculator, which can help you determine exactly how much paint you need to purchase for your project. 

Glidden’s Paint Color Room Visualizer 

With Glidden’s Paint Color Room Visualizer, upload one of your own photos, or use one of their styled rooms. The tool automatically finds the edges of the walls, so it’s easy to mix and match different colors for the wall, trim and accent combinations. Choose from Glidden’s library of colors, and order physical swatches right in the app 

Not sure which color to choose? Play the in-app game, Nah or Yeah!, where you choose a color family and then go through a series of rapid-style questions to cycle through color options, eliminating selections, and refining focus. At the end, you are presented with a palette, based on your answers. 

Sherwin-Williams Color Expert  

 The Sherwin-Williams Color Expert uses AI to recommend paint colors for your home. It’s like working with a color consultant in-store, but from the comfort of your home. Simply take a photo of the room you’d like to paint, and the app makes color recommendations, based on the space itself, and other colors present in existing decor details. 

Wadden says that this tool is extremely helpful because of its intuitive approach to "paint color recommendations based on items that surround the space, such as furniture and décor, giving homeowners the ability to have a color expert-level recommendation in less than one minute.”. 

General Advice For Paint Color Selection  

Whether you lean towards subtle neutrals, dark and moody colors, or saturated jewel tones, there are a few considerations before you plan and select your paint. 

Think About The Lighting  

Light (or lack of it) will significantly impact how colors look on the walls. If you are thinking of painting with darker colors, it is especially important to make sure there is adequate light, either natural or artificial. While dark colors lend decor drama, they can make a room feel cramped, without proper lighting.   

Use the 60/30/10 Rule  

Once you’ve narrowed down options for color choices, adopt a strategy the pros use to strike the right balance between primary and accent colors. Dedicate about 60 percent of the space to the main color, 30 percent to a secondary color, and 10 percent to an accent color.  

Keep The Color Palette Cohesive  

Every room doesn’t necessarily need to be the same color, but ensure that there is flow between rooms, and that the colors complement each other. This is especially important in an open-concept floor plan.  

Pick the Right Paint Sheen 

The paint sheen (also known as paint finish) affects how shiny paint appears and determines durability. Some sheens are easier to clean than others, some are more forgiving at showing wear and tear, while some will reveal surface imperfections more overtly. 

Finishes are categorized by how much light they reflect. Choose from: 

• Flat- least shine, subdued color appearance, best at hiding surface flaws. 

• Eggshell- slight gloss, slightly reflective appearance. Good for moderate traffic rooms. 

• Satin- similar in gloss to eggshell. Has good stain-resistant qualities 

• Semi-Gloss, Gloss and High Gloss are the most reflective, in progressive order. All three are good choices in high-traffic areas, where moisture is present, such as kitchens and bathrooms.