Toggle navigation button
Search
Mini Cart
{{ctrl.getMiniCartCount}}
50% OFF PAINT COLOUR SAMPLES
Get 50% off 236 ml colour samples with code LETSPAINT in your cart from March 16 - 31, 2023.
Shop Now
Paint Colours
Products
Paint Ideas
For Professionals
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Find Your Colour
Explore Paint Colours
Most Popular Colours
Wood Stain Colours
Colour Search
Browse By Colour Family
White
Neutral
Gray
Yellow
Orange
Red
Purple
Blue
Green
See All Colour Families
Colour Collections
Colour Preview®
Benjamin Moore Classics®
Historical Colours
Off White Colours
Affinity® Colour Collection
Aura® Colour Stories®
Williamsburg® Paint Colour Collection
Designer Classics
See All Colour Collections
Colour Palettes
Colour By Design Style
French Country
English Heritage
Mediterranean
Boho
Eclectic Vintage
Midcentury Modern
Hygge
Modern Farmhouse
Contemporary
Cottage
Dark Glamour
See All Palettes by Style
Colour By Region
French Quarter
Northeast
Southwest
Southeast
Pacific Northwest
Rocky Mountain
See All Palettes by Region
Colour of the Year
Colour of the Year 2023
Colour of the Year 2022
History of Colour of the Year
See All Colour Palettes
Colour Insights
Monochromatic
Analogous
Warm & Cool
The Colour Handbook
Your Personal Colour Palette
Psychology of Colour
See All Colour Schemes
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
French Country
English Heritage
Mediterranean
Boho
Eclectic Vintage
Midcentury Modern
Hygge
Modern Farmhouse
Contemporary
Cottage
Dark Glamour
See All Palettes by Style
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
French Quarter
Northeast
Southwest
Southeast
Pacific Northwest
Rocky Mountain
See All Palettes by Region
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Colour of the Year 2023
Colour of the Year 2022
History of Colour of the Year
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Browse Products
Interior Paint
Exterior Paint
Exterior Stain
Primer
Specialty
Browse Full Catalogue
How-To & Project Advice
Walls
Trim
Ceiling
Kitchen Cabinet
Brick Fireplace
Deck Stain
Outdoor Wood Furniture
Home Exterior
Metal
See All How-To & Project Advice
Product Video Testimonials
Aura® Interior Paint
Aura® Exterior Paint
Ben® Interior Paint
Corotech® Command™
Regal® Select Interior Paint
See All Testimonials
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Browse Ideas by Project
Interior Paint Ideas
Bedroom
Living Room
Bathroom
Kitchen
Kitchen Cabinets
Ceilings
Mudroom
Dining Room
Accent Walls
Painted Staircases
Kids' Rooms
Entryways
Small Spaces
See All Interior Paint Ideas
Exterior Paint Ideas
Front Entrance
Home Exterior
Decks
Vinyl Siding
Porch, Patio & Pool Deck
See All Exterior Paint Ideas
Ideas By Lighting
North-Facing Rooms
South-Facing Rooms
East-Facing Rooms
See All Ideas By Lighting
West-Facing Rooms
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Bedroom
Living Room
Bathroom
Kitchen
Kitchen Cabinets
Ceilings
Mudroom
Dining Room
Accent Walls
Painted Staircases
Kids' Rooms
Entryways
Small Spaces
See All Interior Paint Ideas
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Front Entrance
Home Exterior
Decks
Vinyl Siding
Porch, Patio & Pool Deck
See All Exterior Paint Ideas
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Pro Resources
Contractors
Contractor Resources
Pro Products
Job Solutions
Build Your Business
Architects
Designers
Documents & Specs
Documentation
Paint Specification Tools
Download Facility Guides
Colour Guidance
Order Paint Colour Sheets
Download Colour Palettes
{{ctrl.selectedMobileMenu}}
Contractor Resources
Pro Products
Job Solutions
Build Your Business
Shop Online
Find a Store
Sign In
Shopping List
English - Canada
English - Canada
ca-Select Language
English - Canada
English - United States
English - Canada
Français - Canada
English - United States
English - Canada
Français - Canada
ca-Select Language
English - Canada
English - United States
English - Canada
Français - Canada
English - United States
English - Canada
Français - Canada
Find a Store
Search
Sign In
Shopping List
Mini Cart
{{ctrl.getMiniCartCount}}
{{ ctrl.getWelcomeNote('Welcome, @@FirstName @@LastName')}}
My Profile
Sign Out
Cart
Showing
{{ctrl.totalDisplayItem}}
of
{{ctrl.CartData.totalItems}} Items
See All
{{cartItem.product.trademarkDescription}}
Qty : {{cartItem.quantity}}
{{cartItem.totalPrice.formattedValue}}
Subtotal
{{ctrl.CartData.totalPriceWithTax.formattedValue}}
VIEW CART AND CHECKOUT
is available
There are no items in the cart.
Continue Shopping
Paint Colours
Products
Paint Ideas
For Professionals
Shop Online
50% OFF PAINT COLOUR SAMPLES
Get 50% off 236 ml colour samples with code LETSPAINT in your cart from March 16 - 31, 2023.
Shop Now
The Colour Handbook
A Guide to Selecting Paint Colour
<
The Colour Handbook
A Guide to Selecting Paint Colour
Tackle your design project with confidence thanks to these essential pointers to finding the perfect paint colours.
Colour really does make the room. The perfect shade and finish can enlarge a small space, bring in more light, or deliver that kick of energy you need with your morning coffee. But finding the right one? Now that’s another story.
Take a brief tour of the colour wheel here!
Colour Wheel Insights
Take a look at the colour wheel colours in totality: Warm reds, yellows, and oranges on one side; cool lavenders, blues and greens on the other. Creating a palette within the same half of the wheel tends to be more harmonious. Pairing two colours opposite one another adds a dash of invigorating tension. Which do you prefer?
Key colour wheel terms:
A
monochromatic
colour scheme uses tints and shades of the same colour.
An
analogous
colour scheme uses adjacent colours on the colour wheel.
Complementary
colour schemes (as in "opposites attract") include two colours that are opposite to each other on the colour wheel.
Selecting the Perfect Room Colour
These three categories are a great starting point to help identify your personal colour preferences:
Pales:
Ballet pink, dusty lavender, washed out blue—light, airy combinations that lift you up
Neutrals:
Slate, clay, sand, ochre—natural combinations that keep you grounded
Deeps:
Violet, onyx, sapphire, ruby—confident colours that create instant character
Learn about the emotional impact of these colour categories in
The Psychology of Colour
.
Accent on Trim
Painting trim in glossy white is a classic choice, but why not go beyond white or cream? Choosing a trim colour—think
Black Satin 2131-10
—against a neutral wall is a striking way to showcase a room’s unique architecture.
Consider an ombré colour scheme: Paint walls with different shades of one colour, keeping the darker hue closer to the bottom for a beautiful effect. Here, we use
Green Grove 2138-20
on the base molding,
Briarwood HC-175
on the lower wall and
Bleeker Beige HC-80
on the upper wall.
"Time of day matters when it comes to assessing colour."
—
ANDREA MAGNO
COLOUR & DESIGN EXPERT
The Theatre of Light
Light in a room changes many times throughout the day.
From the natural light of early dawn to the artificial light of nightfall, the relationship between light and your chosen paint colour is a crucial consideration. As seen here:
Top:
Direct midday sun will brighten up any hue
Lower Left:
That same hue is flattered by softer, indirect illumination.
Lower Right:
Artificial light adds a warm glow to wall colour.
Buy a Benjamin Moore paint sample to experience paint colour in real-time, from morning to night.
Test. Observe. Repeat.
Experimenting and observation is key when it comes to selecting paint colours for home interiors.
To make sure you choose a colour with confidence, buy colour samples at your local Benjamin Moore retailer. At home, paint a board–foam core will do nicely–and move it around to different parts of the room. Monitor how the paint colour changes at different times of the day so there are no surprises.
A Look at Paint Finishes
Selecting the right type of paint finish can enhance paint colour. Top design tips for sheen selection include:
Higher gloss adds dimension and levity to any room.
Shiny finishes look best on smooth, clean surfaces (spackled, sanded, etc.).
Matte or flat paints are most forgiving of imperfections.
Eggshell offers a perfect middle ground between a matte look and higher-gloss durability, making it a go-to, all-purpose finish perfect for high-traffic areas.
Visit a
local Benjamin Moore retailer
to pick-up a paint sheen chart you can take home.
Get insights on how sheen impacts paint colour.
Sheen 101
Sheen puts the finishing statement on your colour of choice:
Flat–Low sheen, very forgiving
Ulti-Matte/Eggshell–Durable, flexible for most parts of the home
Semi-Gloss–Luminous finish that highlights architectural details
For more tips and insights, check out our step-by-step guide on how to select the right sheen.
The Colour Handbook: A Guide to Selecting Paint Colour
Visit one of the 7,500 locally owned and operated
Benjamin Moore stores
, and pick up your own copy of
The Colour Handbook: A Guide to Selecting Paint Colour
for more inspiration.
Get more step-by-step guidance on selecting colour on our
How To section
.