Why Paint Colours Look Different at Home Than in Store 🎨
You chose the perfect colour in-store.
You loved it on the sample card.
But once it’s on your wall… it looks completely different.
Sound familiar?
You’re not imagining it.
Paint colours can look dramatically different at home compared to how they appear in-store — and there are very real reasons why.
Here’s what’s actually happening.
1. Lighting Changes Everything ☀️💡
Store lighting is controlled and consistent.
Your home lighting is not.
At home, colour shifts depending on:
- Natural daylight (morning vs afternoon)
- North vs south-facing rooms (in Australia)
- Warm vs cool artificial bulbs
- Amount of shadow in the room
A colour that looks warm and soft in-store may appear cooler, darker, or even slightly green or pink in your space.
💡 Always test colours in your actual lighting before committing.
2. Size Matters (Bigger Surfaces Change Perception)
On a small sample chip, colour looks controlled and concentrated.
On a full wall, that same colour can feel:
- Much darker
- Much brighter
- More intense
- More saturated
Large areas amplify undertones.
That subtle grey you saw on the card?
It may read much more beige—or blue—once it covers an entire wall.
3. Surroundings Influence Colour
Paint never exists in isolation.
Your flooring, cabinetry, furniture, tiles, and even outdoor greenery reflect colour back onto the walls.
For example:
- Warm timber floors can make a neutral wall look more yellow.
- Grey tiles can make white paint appear cooler or bluer.
- Strong outdoor greenery can bounce green tones into rooms.
This is why a colour that looked perfect in-store may clash at home.
4. Store Walls vs Your Walls
In-store displays are often:
- Professionally prepped
- Painted evenly
- Seen under ideal lighting
- Surrounded by neutral displays
Your walls may have:
- Texture
- Previous paint layers
- Imperfections
- Different sheen levels
Finish also affects perception.
Matte absorbs light. Satin reflects it. Gloss amplifies it.
Same colour. Different result.
5. Undertones Become More Visible at Home
Every paint colour has an undertone — warm, cool, pink, green, blue, or yellow.
In-store, undertones may be subtle.
At home, they can become very obvious depending on lighting and surrounding colours.
This is often the biggest surprise for homeowners.
So What Should You Do Instead?
✔ Always test sample pots on your actual wall
✔ Paint large test patches (not tiny swatches)
✔ Observe the colour morning, afternoon, and evening
✔ Compare it next to flooring and cabinetry
And most importantly:
Don’t choose colour in isolation.
Why Good Advice Makes a Difference
At My Paint & Co, we don’t just hand you a colour card and send you home.
We help you consider:
- Lighting direction
- Flooring undertones
- Existing finishes
- How colours connect between rooms
Because choosing paint colour isn’t just about what looks good in-store.
It’s about what works in your home.
Final Thoughts
If a colour looks different at home, it’s not a mistake — it’s science.
Understanding lighting, undertones, and surface impact helps you make confident choices the first time.
✨ Visit My Paint & Co for practical colour advice that works beyond the sample card.