The Absolute Easiest Way to Choose Paint Colors

When I was designing for both local and online clients, by far the most frequent question homeowners had was about how to choose paint colors. Often, it feels like you have one shot to get it right and then possibly live with it for a very long time. If that’s your situation, I have the neatest little tool to tell you about. ColorReader by Datacolor may be the very easiest way to choose paint colors that I’ve ever come across.

It may be small but it’s pretty awesome for actually reading colors on anything–a pillow, an existing painted wall, a fabric, artwork, you name it. You simply download the ColorReader app on your phone, calibrate it to this little device and hit “read” to see a list of the closest paint colors available (from any paint deck, in case you have a brand preference). It’s really perfect for professional designers, dabbling decorators and homeowners who just need some extra help.

And, it’s really easy to set up and start using. (I was taking readings within a few minutes of opening the packaging.)

Here are a few ways I envision using ColorReader by Datacolor:

-You or your client finds the perfect fabric/pillow/rug/etc. and you want to build the entire color palette around it. Take a quick scan of the fabric and save the recommended colors to your phone within the app. If you choose the color palette option, ColorReader by Datacolor will then suggest four different color schemes that could work for your project.

Notice I was able to take a reading from even a very small section of color. . .

-You need to reference your fabrics or paint selections when shopping for the room but don’t want to drag it all around with you from store to store. ColorReader by Datacolor makes it easy to scan all of your fabrics/paints/upholstery/etc. and compose a custom color palette list. You can then save it to your phone within the app, screenshot it or even text it to a client. I scanned almost every different color in my pillow to come up with this custom color guide:

A color chart is a convenient reference tool when you’re pulling accessories or even composing an idea board for your space:

-Another idea: ColorReader by Datacolor could come in really handy when moving into a new home where you’re working with existing paint colors or wallpaper. Just do a quick reading to find a color match for doing touch ups or to find color palette ideas for walls you’re not planning to repaint anytime soon. If you’re feeling creative, you could even take the ColorReader color palette suggestions and make some art or paint a piece of furniture for your room.

If you think this would make your life–or job–a little easier, ColorReader by Datacolor is extending a 15% discount with the code emilyclark through May 31, 2018. It’s available here.

This post was sponsored by ColorReader by Datacolor.