The Best Ways to Pick Paint Colors Online

Have you ever tried to pick a paint color online? Most of us find it a big enough challenge to do it with paint swatches in hand. But adding the online factor can make what should be a fun task seem darn near impossible. Thank goodness for technology, which has already figured this out for us. Here are some life-simplifying tools that’ll have you picking the right paint colors online, without the decorating drama.

Paintzen’s Color Exploration Tool

Online color tools come in two main flavors, the color exploration tool and the paint color visualizer.

For the minimalist, there’s the color exploration tool. With this tool, you can easily pick a palette by:

• Browsing trending colors to see what strikes your fancy
• Choosing a color based on its ambience (energetic, Zen, rejuvenating, for example)
• Uploading a picture with colors you love as inspiration.

These tools are a good place to start because they help you narrow your color choices. We recommend picking not just one color but a range of hues with color exploration tools because the colors will vary by computer monitor.

Once you have a range, you can order free swatches or paint samples, so you can ensure your choice works in your space.

Pro tip: Colors vary by undertones. So, if you’re looking for teal, for example, check the blue and green paint families. Neutrals are especially tricky, so look for your perfect color in the white, gray, brown and even red paint families.

PPG’s Paint Color Visualizer

The PPG paint color visualizer helps you pick a color without setting foot in a paint store by letting you try on any paint color you want.

The tool has other handy features – for example, it lets you share your project with family and friends, and it will tell you the nearest paint store to you, so that you can order swatches or paint samples.

Visualize Your Room

This is where paint color visualizers shine. Simply upload a photo of your room and, with the click of a mouse, you can see the difference between, say Brunswick, Billiard Green, and PPG’s 2019 Color of the Year, Night Watch, right on your own walls.

In this way, you’ll quickly sort out the colors that don’t fit your criteria. And once you’ve found your color, the color visualizer will email you your color choice and the colorized room image. Then, you can share it with family and friends to get kudos for your excellent design taste.

From there, it’s just a matter of finding a store near you to order samples or buy your color. The color visualizer tool can also help you find a store, so all you need to do is email or take in your project (when the world opens back up, of course) and let the real-life pros take it from there.

A More Personal Touch

If you need more help, you can always work with a color consultant to help you find the perfect shade for your space. Paintzen offers free, remote color consultations with our trained team of Project Advisors. Just a quick phone call can help you get some incredible ideas for your next interior or exterior painting project. They can also share some insights from our interior designer partners, and can offer guidance for specific rooms in your home, like bathrooms or kitchens.

If you are planning to hire painters in the future, working with a color consultant can help you create a fully seamless experience, building your work order and your color palette all at once.

Get ideas for your next paint project. Browse colors at our color sampler, including trending ones like PPG’s 2020 Color of the Year, Chinese Porcelain.