Why the Colour on the Chip Is the Colour on Your Wall

You fall for a colour on a chip, bring it home, and paint the wall. Will it look like the chip? A lot of that depends on where the colour formula came from.

A colour formula is built for a specific paint

Every Benjamin Moore colour has a formula: a precise recipe of colorants, designed for a particular base and sheen, using Benjamin Moore's Gennex colorant system. When that formula is mixed into the paint it was developed for, you get the colour the chip shows. The colorant, the base and the formula are all designed to work together.

Matching a colour in a different paint is an approximation

Want a Benjamin Moore colour in another brand's paint? That's a match, not the original formula. A store can scan the chip or match it by eye, but the result depends on how that paint's base and colorants behave. The match can look right under the store's lights and shift in your room, or look slightly different once it dries.

Why shades can drift

Different bases: a base with a different whiteness or opacity changes how colourants read.
Different colorants: colourants from different systems aren't interchangeable.
Sheen: the same colour looks lighter or darker in matte versus satin.
Lighting: two colours can match in one light and differ in another.

When it matters most

If you're coordinating with existing walls, trim, fabric or a designer's specified colour, getting the exact formula matters. It's also why contractors and designers who specify a colour by name want that colour mixed from its original formula.

Tips for getting the colour you want

Choose your colour by name and number, then buy it in the paint it was designed for.
Always test a large sample in your own light before committing.
For touch-ups, bring in the original can or note the colour, base and sheen.
If you need to match something else, such as fabric, tile or an old wall, ask us. We can help you get as close as possible and tell you what to expect.

Questions about a colour? Stop by West Hillhurst Paint & Design at 321 19 St NW, or book an in-home colour consult.