Trying to match this old trim paint turned into a two-day detective job

I thought I could just grab a sample of the existing cream color in my 1920s bungalow and have it matched at the store... The first three tries came out looking pink or yellow under the hallway light. I finally had to take a bigger piece to a specialty paint shop in Portland, and they found it was a custom mix with a bit of raw umber to warm it up. Has anyone else had this much trouble with a simple paint match?

3 comments

3 Comments

uma_webb281mo ago

That raw umber trick is a lifesaver for old houses. I had a similar fight matching the ceiling color in my apartment, and it took four sample pots before I gave up and just repainted the whole room. The lighting in those big box stores can really mess with the color reading. Taking a bigger piece to a pro shop was definitely the right call.

alex_coleman1mo ago

Doubt it's worth that much stress over a ceiling. Most people won't notice a slight color difference once the furniture is back. Save the sample pots for something that actually matters.

lily_sullivan8228d ago

Matching old paint is such a nightmare. You described my whole life with my 1910s house. The lighting in those big box stores makes every color sample look wrong at home. Getting a pro to look at a bigger piece was smart. That raw umber trick is the secret for those warm old colors. I’m glad you finally cracked the case.