picking paint

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We’ll keep our Slack channel open to our existing community members and we’ll still be offering virtual design consults via our website! Sending beauty and thanks to all who have been apart of what we’ve built.

Love, Linny and Claire

Happy new year! I have to admit, I wrote this months ago before giving birth to my second child with the intent of sending it while on maternity leave, but then I started second-guessing it. And then Kate-Watson Smyth sent this explanation of picking neutral paint colors, and she offers very detailed, thorough approach. If you are someone who needs rigor and reason to pick paint, her summary is for you.

And then Wit and Delight nicely summarized why picking paint feels hard and what she learned from picking colors.

So, I sat on this one for a good long while and decided to finally send because whenever we ask about newsletter topics, this is a top request. While there are plenty of hot takes on this subject, I feel like sometimes, it gets a little over-complicated and too scientific. Yes, exposure to sunlight and which direction it comes makes a difference, but I have rarely considered the compass rose when choosing a color (perhaps I should not admit that).

Color is a highly personal choice and each of us is going to be drawn to different colors for different reasons, including the influence of color trends. I don’t think there’s a secret formula, but I can share what I have learned from picking paints for clients and myself for the last 14 years.

Claire, co-founder of House Friends

Choosing a brand

Paint manufacturer can make a difference in quality and depth of color. I can’t explain the science behind it, but the price tag is often tied to quality. Here’s a little breakdown of my personal opinions:

I believe in the acclaimed magic of Farrow & Ball, but I have never personally purchased it. Their paint has a color-changing quality based on the sunlight or lack thereof, and when I have seen it in person, there is a certain richness that is hard to explain. Ball and Claw Antiques in upstate NY is filled with rooms of F&B, and I could tell the second I walked in because the colors were so good, and, perhaps, I was just feeling that magic.

F&B paint from Ball and Claw: Whirlybird, Sulking Room Pink, and Studio Green

The quality of the paint itself is excellent, and their color experts and how they develop their palette is possibly the best in the business. The colors are more limited than what we expect with our major American paint manufactures because they develop their colors so intentionally.

I think it can be worth it to spring for this paint, but if budget is tight, I would reserve it for rooms that do have sunlight exposure and that you spend a lot of time in so that you get to experience the magic - we’ve heard lack luster reviews from people who sprung for it in a powder room with no window.

Of course, you can elect to have a more affordable paint company color-match, and that is also a viable option but you are sacrificing some of the quality that comes with this paint. In some cases, I would feel good about a color match, but I have also seen total misses in the matching formula. I would probably suggest comparing the matched paint to a sample in the store before accepting the mix.

I would consider Benjamin Moore my personal front-runner for quality and color. I have experienced the better quality myself but have also received confirmation from professional painters. While their palette is not as curated as Farrow and Ball, I usually turn to the Historical Colors palette first - I don’t always find the right color there but it is a much less overwhelming starting point than looking at the whole line. If I don’t see what I am looking for there, I usually take the closest color and compare it to the more modern options to find the right hue.

Sherwin Williams is my next choice - still great quality, and I once again lean on the Historic Paint Colors palettes as a starting point and then move to the Timeless collection before diving into the full line.

And of course, there are even more options beyond these manufacturers, but I have way less experience with about the newcomers like Backdrop and Clare and the hardware store brands Behr and Valspar. I think there are great colors from all of these, so if these are better for budget or convenience, just know there is something in there that will likely work well.

Narrow Your Options

I think paints biggest benefit and biggest problem is one in the same - you can find just about any color imaginable. There are 191 colors in the BM Historical Colors collection alone. Farrow & Ball’s much more curated line has 303 colors, and Benjamin Moore’s classic line has more than 1600 colors. One reason finding the “right” color is so daunting might be that we have access to a ridiculous number of choices, which can be great when you are dealing with a specific vision but also overwhelming if picking paint is not really something you enjoy. Starting with a more limited palette can help narrow the options and avoid the options spiral.

Choosing a color

It seems a bit crazy, but for commercial projects, I have to specify colors before walls are even built and rarely get to see how a color looks in the specific space it will be used in. Even though I do have a lot of practice in making blind color choices, when it comes to my own home, I almost always go get the free color chips from the store to check in the space. I usually get multiples - at least 4 chips so I can look at them on different walls and lighting. You can order bigger samples on Samplize, but the free option is usually more appealing to me unless I am really hung up on a decision. I also suggest keeping the samples up for at least a couple days on multiple walls so that you can get a feel for the color under different lighting conditions. Make sure any existing furniture or art pieces you’re working around are also present so you can observe the color in relation to something you are trying to incorporate into the room.

Choosing a sheen

These are rules of thumb, not actual rules:

Matte/Flat: there is definitely a trend towards a flat finish, and it can be really satisfying. I caution against it if you have children or messy pets because it is the least cleanable finish.

I always use it on ceilings, but it is also good for textured walls, low-traffic areas or anywhere you are wanting to make a statement that might come with some maintenance.

Eggshell: this is my go-to finish for most walls because it is durable and cleanable

Semi-gloss: I typically use semi-gloss on trim. I have also used in bathrooms that don’t have great ventilation to help keep moisture from seeping into drywall and for additional cleaning capability.

Gloss: I can’t say I opt for gloss much as you need a near perfect application to achieve the right sheen without it showing every imperfection on the surface. It is certainly having a moment as well, and if it is the look you are going for, I suggest hiring a professional to do the painting.

-Linny here to say I’ve been loving the Benjamin Moore Advanced formula (my go to is in Satin finish) for cabinetry, trim, stairwells, doors, furniture, etc. It has a self leveling property that really pays off and gives a more professional finish to areas that get a lot of wear.

Some of our go-to colors:

Whites: BM White Dove, BM Chantilly Lace, BM Gentle Cream, SW Creamy

Neutrals: BM Revere Pewter, BM Clay, BM Livingston Gold

Browns: BM Mink, BM Brown Sugar

Blues: SW Needlepoint Navy, BM Hale Navy, BM Wythe Blue, SW Copen Blue

Greens: SW Dard Hunter Green, SW Palm Leaf, SW Frostwork

Reds: BM Heritage Red, SW Chinese Red

If you need guidance on picking a paint - or paints - for your home, our 20-minute consult is often enough for us to help narrow in on a direction and some options to try!

This newsletter was inspired by a reader-submitted question - we would love to hear from you about your current design challenges at housefriendsstudio@gmail.com