• Try a fairly large size of paint sample. How often have you heard DIY painters say, “It looked so different on the wall!” Unless you’re an experienced painter, it’s hard to guess how your chosen colour will look on a wall or on all four walls and the ceiling, just by looking at a tiny paint chip. It’s a better plan to paint a patch of the color on a board and set it in the room to see how you feel about it.
• Consider how the light will affect the look. Your chosen colour will look different in natural light than in artificial light. It will look different in the afternoon than in the morning. it may even look different on a cloudy day than on a sunny one. And it will certainly look different on different surfaces in the room if light hits them differently. Try your sample board in different places.
• Think about the other colours in the room. That apple green paint will have a very different effect with a white sofa than with a red one. This can be a good thing — you can change the whole feel of a room by changing loose covers and accent pieces. But it can also give you surprises if you pick a colour you’ve seen in a magazine and don’t consider the whole colour scheme of the room you’re painting.

We always recommend getting expert advice from your painting and decorating service, but these ideas will help you avoid surprises. Courtney & Wise Painting and Decorating, Sydney, Australia