It is all a personal taste,we have painted green rooms with purple trim,and pink rooms with blue trim,it is your own taste.if you like it then do it.Light trim dark trim against a light or dark wall does not matter.
Their is no right or wrong in the color you choose in color matching.

[This message has been edited by retisin (edited February 16, 2004).]

I agree there is really only one person you need to satisfy when it comes to taste--you.

The problem is when YOU paint a room in some unique, slightly off-center way with little or no understanding of the results and then (days, weeks later) YOU decide you don't like it.

In my experience the majority--I'm not saying everyone--but the clear majority of people over the age of 20 who make like gangbusters down home painting's road less traveled end up in some large measure regretting it.

A case in point. Recently I felt obliged to convince an interior painting client to go two levels lighter (on a color strip) from a deep, electric blue. I then bought a quart and rolled out a few square feet. Remember this test quart was about 50% lighter than what the client originally thought for sure was just fine. When the test area dried the client was practically aghast as they realized even THIS was way too dark for what they wanted. They ended up going another 50% lighter still!

The point is not whether I liked the color or wanted this or wanted that. My only stake was my client's satisfaction. And believe me they would not have been happy if I had painted that room on the strength of their "taste" as they had percieved it on that deep, electric blue color chip. Feedback...testing...it can mean all the difference!

Chances for success off the beaten path (and even in the sometimes overwhelming world of neutral colors) improve if you have help from a friend with solid experience working with color (for example an art teacher) or--if you can afford it--$100-150 for an interior designer color consultantation. Money well spent, especially if you can find a good referral.

Perhaps the best news is the recent advances in color visualization software available today. Bob Vila offers it! For an excellent demo, click on the tab at the top of the page "design tools" then click on "paint designer v2.0" then on the click "Launch Paint Designer v2.0" A pop-up will ask for your username and password but for the demo purposes just click on "Try first" located beneath the picture of the paint cans. From there it's easy to follow and even fun!

Finally, no matter what, it is always a VERY good idea to buy a quart of the color(s) making sure the color(s) is in the same sheen (flat/satin/semi-gloss)you plan to use. Then roll or brush out one or more fairly large test areas (3'x3' or so) and live with the color a few days, noticing how it does or doesn't grow on you and how different it looks as the light cycle happens throughout the day.

[This message has been edited by cleanedge (edited February 05, 2004).]

I disagree with that painting a 3x3 area as that does not give a true idea of what the color is going to look like after it on all four walls. I have seen alot of people come into the paint store and buy 10 or 12 quarts to do a room or 2 as they can't make up there minds or they want the wild colors they saw someone else use but they don't really when it comes down to it want it themselves.
You either need to paint an entire wall or room to know what the color is really going to look like, and especially when you are going with a dark or very bright color.
The main thing is going with what you like but remember don't mix cool and warm colors together.
Also alot of paint companies have software that lets you put their colors together and maybe a good investment if you have more decorating to do.
Hope this helps out.

A 3'x3' test area may not be the perfect solution for color selection but it sure beats having to imagine what an entire room will look like from a tiny chip on color chart. Testing on more than one wall is a good idea. If you don't want to paint directly on the wall, try using one (or more) big pieces of cardboard. When dry, use blue painter's tape to fix the cardboard on the wall. This method also has the advantage of being able to move the test around the room.

Regarding the previous post, it seems impractical and rather extreme to suggest you need to paint “an entire room or entire wall” to know if you like a color or not. Some people have some pretty big walls and I doubt most people in any case have the time or the inclination to paint an entire wall--let alone the entire room–to test color. Imagine if the first and second color don’t work out and now you need to paint the entire wall a third time. Don’t even think about a fourth, fifth....

Again, the 3'x3' test is not perfect, but you can test any number of colors and sheens without spending an absurd amount of time and trouble. You’ll see how some colors look completely different than you imagined them on your walls–for better or worse. It isn’t the ideal solution but combined with color visualization software it will likely save you much time and money and give you a real and tangible measure of confidence to go forward.

I work as a painter where I get a ton of on-the-spot feedback right there in people’s homes--before, during and after color selection. And I can say without a doubt that the vast majority of homeowners find the 3'x3' color test is a very useful tool.

Any homeowners yea or nay?

[This message has been edited by cleanedge (edited February 09, 2004).]

But to answer your question yes,it will look just fine.

I personally hate test areas just because,buying quarts of paint and running them to and from the jobsite just to get a color they like is a bunch of BS I have a fandeck and they pick the color out before we start.
If they dont like it we can tint it,but if they go with a complete color change then they pay for more material and the running around.
We allow 1 color change besides the primary 1st choice,we dont have time to be runing around making colored patterns on walls.
Most of clients understand this.
Reason being is we had a lady want a burgandy so we bring a qt of it,then she seen it and wanted to try a light purple,then a light blue.So now we show them color charts they pick a color and we tint it 1 time for free,running around when my guys and I could be doing another job is costing me $$.We are up front and no messing around with homeowners,is how I feel about the wall color samples.

Bravo for you RET.

When did this become a topic about what painting contractors want to do and the things that are too much trouble for them?

bravo? what's to cheer about? obviously the man has a customer service chip on his shoulder. i can just see the wrinkle on his lip when his client shows some preliminary indecision on color. how about some positive advice and not being so all about you. and i'm not talking about the whatever-feels-good-do-it stuff you laid down earlier. that doesn't work for a lot of people.

[This message has been edited by cleanedge (edited February 15, 2004).]