How Does Light Affect the Paint Colors?

It is a fact that the type of paint color that you choose to paint a room, will play a large role in determining exactly how much natural or artificial light will shine through its windows and onto the walls. That said, there is a science to getting the light and paint color scheme in a particular room right. Read further to learn what it is.

 

How lighting affects paint colors?

 

Well, you can have two different paint colors look the same under the same type of lighting. In case you were wondering, this is referred to as metamerism. Also, keep in mind that these two paint colors may look very different and may differ dramatically from each other when the lighting type is changed.

 

You need to understand how the lighting scheme will affect paint colors when going paint shopping. Then there is the Light Reflectance Value (LRV.) This measures the extent to which a particular color of paint will reflect and/or absorb natural or artificial light. More specifically, it gives a particular value that indicates how light reflects paint colors.

 

Most professional painters choose paint colors that have an LRV of 50%. If a paint color has an LRV that’s greater than 50%., it will be lighter and therefore more reflective. If it has an LRV that’s less than 50%, it will be darker and therefore less reflective.

 

Lighter and darker shades of paint may appear to have different undertones under different lights. This isn’t your eyes playing tricks on you. It’s a fact that paint colors tend to be complex in nature.

 

You generally need to use a lighter paint color if you’re painting hallways, foyers, bedrooms, or bathrooms. These tend to have more artificial light reflected in them. You want to use darker colors when painting other rooms of a house. These tend to absorb light and bring out your house’s natural personality and nature!

 

Paint color will be affected by the lighting scheme in a room

 

As a general rule of thumb, dark colors look darker because they absorb light, light colors look lighter because they reflect light. The direction that your room faces will play a large role in determining just how much natural and artificial light it will get. Generally speaking, rooms that face East and North tend to get less sunlight.

 

South-facing rooms tend to get more sunlight throughout the day. You want to choose lighter paint colors for rooms that go with the open-space concept. Examples of these are kitchens, family rooms, and living rooms. You want to keep the type of lighting that a particular room will have most of the time when choosing a paint color. For example, you want to use a darker color in basements and bathrooms since these tend to have less natural light.

 

Artificial lights

 

Different types of artificial lights give off different types of hues and make paint colors look different. For example, LED lights tend to make colors look and seem cooler. Halogen light bulbs give off a light that’s similar to natural sunlight. Therefore, they’ll tend to make any type of color look lighter.

 

Incandescent colors give off light rays with a yellowish hue. Therefore, they tend to make paint colors look warmer. Fluorescent light bulbs tend to give off a bluish-hued light. Therefore, you should use them primarily with blue and green paints.

 

Natural light

 

Rooms that face north tend to get the least amount of sunlight. Therefore, they tend to look darker. Use paint colors with warm undertones in these rooms. Rooms that face south tend to have more sunlight. You want to accentuate their bolder nature by using darker paints.

 

Rooms that face west gain sunlight as the day progresses. You should paint these rooms a bright and cheery colors. Rooms that face east tend to get sunlight during the early morning hours. Thus, you should use a darker color in these rooms. Do the following when shopping for paint colors:

 

• Bring some paint samples home
• Try the samples out in your rooms
• Look at the paint color throughout the day

 

To know more about paint color that is best for particular rooms in your house, call Right Track Painting & Sealcoating at (617) 480-9831 today.