The Pico app currently only includes two of the brands I tested, with more promised in future updates. Disappointing as that was, I decided to filter the Nix results to match the paint brand I used. It won't display matches across multiple brands at once. Within the Nix Paints app, you can only select one brand at a time. Still, their operation isn't always straightforward. Screenshot by Molly Price/CNETĮach of the apps includes a library of paint brands and even collections within those brands. The Nix Paints app identifies colors well, but only allows matching one brand at a time. The colors they'll recommend to you are actually really close to the original paint, at least for the most part. That doesn't mean these sensors don't work. Yes, of course painting your entire wall will give you the optimal result. It might sound hopeless, but it makes sense. Painting the entire wall will gain you optimal results. We recommend testing this on a hidden section of your wall. The match will be close but may not be invisible. Here's what Color Muse has to say about using its device for paint matching:ĭue to the variables in the measurement results, paint color swatch reproduction, paint mixing and the fact that paint on walls fades over time, it is challenging to get an absolute perfect 'touch up' match. The disclaimers are present on paint swatches from the store, on phone apps and on the sensor packaging.

No matter which device you use, you'll be met with a range of disclaimers about light, mixing, texture and lots of other things that can affect how paint appears to your eye. With my boards painted and dry, it was time to measure. Next, I applied two coats of paint to each sample square, allowing each coat to dry for 24 hours before applying the next one.

It was the recommendation of the paint counter associate at Lowe's, and because it's formulated for brand-new drywall and untinted, it was unlikely to affect the paint colors on top of it. To prepare my test walls, I primed the 2-foot square pieces of brand-new drywall with Valspar's untinted drywall primer. However, they reported the same color readings down the line from flat to high-gloss. To test how high-gloss, matte or other variations in paint sheen affect results, I also measured different sheens across the colors I choose, as well as a sheen swatch. The sheen of a paint can affect the way your eyes see color, but color sensors are designed to see through it to the pigment beneath. You might be wondering about the impact of sheen on the above results. There are definitely more than 50 shades out there, and the 'greige' trend just complicates matters more. Grays are incredibly popular in interior design right now, and can appear cool or warm and everywhere in between. Too deep and it appears almost purple, too light and it takes a turn toward orange, yet most people have an idea of what true red looks like. Red came to mind because it's such a classic color that's tricky to get just right on a wall. For the second board, I wanted a bold and visual primary color.

Benjamin moore color match cmyk