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About Design Hole
I'm an interior designer from the Detroit Metropolitan area. Design Hole allows me to follow two passions - design and writing. I offer daily advice on decorating, finding inspiration and discovering trends. Plus lots of news from the world of design. -Jennifer Mitchell
Design Dilemmas
Each week, I select a submission from a reader and post it with my professional opinion. Readers are encouraged to weigh in with their advice, too. Please email images and other pertinent information to me.
DIY Paint: Color Visualizers

One of the most difficult things for clients to do is visualize what a change in decor will look like. This is especially true with color. Especially when I come up with something outside the norm - which is fairly often. I love color and like to use it in unusual ways. I’m proud to say that I haven’t a had single client reject the end result. In fact, it’s typically quite the opposite.

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This is largely due to two reasons. First, I’m a design genius (at least in my imagination, so please don’t burst my bubble or it’s the paddy wagon for me). Second, I know how difficult it is for many people to imagine what something will look like without some visual help. A little paint chip often isn’t enough.

I’m not the only one to understand this. Paint companies figured it out long before I did. And most have come up with paint visualizers to help you out. They all work the same way. You choose a room from one of their samples and paint the walls, trim and ceiling using their colors. You can save the result and print it out.

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It’s a nice tool to help you get started. Here is a list of links to several sites that offer this service.

Benjamin Moore

Pratt and Lambert

Sherwin Williams

Behr

Valspar

Be aware that the color on a computer screen will not look the same in real life. You may need to tweak your selection. And I’m a big fan of testing a color first. Regarding the visualizers, I wish they offered a larger choice of rooms to paint. Really, how difficult can that be? Also, don’t waste your ten dollars on Bennie Moore’s program that allows you to upload your own photos. It’s a pain to use and they should be giving it away. But they make a good paint.

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Have any of you had experience with these? What’s your opinion of them? I’m also wondering how many of us have weekend DIY projects planned for this weekend. I’m making over the gravel pit.

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3 Responses to “DIY Paint: Color Visualizers”

  • Posted by Lindsay on

    Love the colors, but I am a huge fan of testing colors after painting my office three separate times.



  • Posted by Nikki on

    I used Valspar’s a while back with my daughter (age 9) who wanted to pick out the color for her bedroom herself. We ended up with a Pumpkin Butter orange. It was slightly more obnoxious when I put it on the wall, but it’s growing on me. In the end, if she’s happy with it, that’s what counts.



  • Posted by Mary-Kate on

    I really like the Benjamin Moore Color Viewer. I’ve used it several times.



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