Painting Tips: Test Your Paint Color

Painting isn’t my specialty but I’m helping my son get his home ready for sale. I asked a home stager for the best colors to use when selling a home. I started painting the master bedroom and I’m soooooooooo glad I tested 2 colors first, both Benjamin Moore:

• Monroe Bisque (lower left), HC26 with White Dove (06) trim … the winner!
• Philadelphia Cream (lower right), HC30 with Atrium White (79) trim

I prepped the walls first - dusting, patching nail holes, wiping down dirty spots and vacumming to get rid of the dog hair. As I’m not a great painter, I also covered all the trim with painter’s tape. It really is true, more than half the time spent painting … is prep time. Next I painted the ceiling as you don’t want to change your mind after the walls are done.

I started painting the wall where I had tested the colors. Ugh, the color didn’t look right to start but decided I’d try the wall and hope it was a matter of wet versus dry color. No, it’s not the right color (too yellow). We discovered they used the wrong base when mixing the paint. The store won’t be happy when we return 7 gallons this morning but we’ve got a house to paint!

We Picked Lower Left Color But ...