A Light Touch: How Natural and Artificial Light Can Influence the Color of Paint

If you’re about to paint your home’s interior, you’ve probably got a lot on your mind. What color should you use? What rooms are being painted? How much paint will you need? These are just a few of the questions that you might have—however, one more thing you might be wondering is if your home’s lighting can change or alter the appearance of your painted walls. Continue reading to learn more about how light can influence the color of paint so that you can ensure that it doesn’t greatly affect your results!

Natural Lighting’s Impact on Paint Color

Natural lighting, or light that enters your home from outside through windows, doors, and skylights, can drastically change how your paint looks after it’s been applied. This is mostly due to the fact that natural lighting is inconsistent and changes in intensity throughout the day, as well as throughout the year. For example, in the mornings, natural light tends to be cooler and have almost a bluish tone, whereas in the evenings, light is warmer and more yellow or red. This also varies depending on if the light is from the north/south/east/west, and shadows and saturation will also enter the mix.

Artificial Lighting’s Influence on Paint Color

Artificial lighting, which refers to light that comes from lamps, wall sconces, overhead lights, chandeliers, and other interior sources, can be equally problematic. Different types of bulbs produce different intensities of light; for instance, incandescent bulbs tend to produce warm, yellow-toned light, while LEDs and fluorescent bulbs can produce both warm and cool light. These fixtures can also cast unfavorable shadows or even block light. Ultimately, all of these variances in brightness and temperature affect the color of the paint.

Ensuring Paint Remains Its Original Color

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to ensure that your paint retains its beautiful, original color for several years to come! Consider these tips:

• Be mindful of the positioning and intensity of light entering your home or being emitted from light sources within your home. If you’re working in rooms with windows or other sources of natural light, you can often use curtains to help control the amount of intrusive light. Likewise, lamps and bulbs can also be repositioned or swapped out.
• Use paint sample sticks to help yourself make an informed decision when choosing your paint; these can give you an idea of how every color looks under virtually any type of lighting!
• Consult with a team of professionals if you’re having trouble picking a suitable color for your project due to concerns about lighting; they know best about the interplay between light and color and are certain to be helpful!

About Platinum Painting

Platinum Painting of Plano has been helping homeowners in Plano and the surrounding DFW metroplex for well over 15 years, and they’d love to help you with your next big project! Their skilled team specializes in all sorts of interior and exterior painting projects and has the insight and experience to make your design goals a reality. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to arrange for a FREE in-home estimate, feel free to visit their website or give them a call today! Telephone: (469) 570-6137.