This New App Will Find the Perfect Paint Color for Your Room

Sherwin-Williams' new app uses AI to select the best paint.

One of the biggest design challenges most of us have is choosing a paint color. It’s easy to understand why. There are seemingly infinite options out there. Do you go for a bold dark color like navy? What about a bright hue like lime green? Should you play it safe with a neutral like beige or off-white?

While collecting paint chips, narrowing down your options, and painting a small portion of the wall or using a peel-and-stick sample can give you an idea of what the room will feel like—it’s still hard to see the big picture. Being able to envision how a room will look once its painted, without having to actually paint the room, would be ideal.

The good news is that the new Sherwin-Williams Color Expert app, which is available for free on The App Store and Google Play, can help make this a reality by using the latest in AI technology.

“Homeowners who love design and doing their own projects tend to struggle when it comes to choosing the perfect paint color,” says Sue Wadden, Sherwin-Williams Director of Color Marketing. “On average, they consult 10+ touchpoints before committing to a color, indicating how overwhelming this process can be for them. This revolutionary color technology will give them the confidence they need by seamlessly allowing them to find the right color without the stress they normally go through!”

But does it really work? We tried the app to find out.

Related: 5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Choosing A Paint Color

The Color Recommendation Tool

If you're uncomfortable using AI or haven't used it before—don't worry. The Sherwin-Williams Color Expert is easy to use. After taking or uploading a photo of your room, it gives you a customized palette of colors, arranged from light to dark colors, in just a few seconds based on what colors are already present in the room. So, if you’re on the hunt for the perfect cream to complement your brown sofa or perhaps something to accent the moldings in a room with pink wallpaper—this app can definitely help you.

Once the colors are determined, you can swipe to see how each one will look in the room, as well as try out adjacent colors in the same family.

Choose Your Own Color

If you already have a paint color in mind, you can also work the opposite way. Because the app features 1,000 of the brand’s colors, you can try any one you want in the room. You can also browse paint by color family, like purples and reds, as well as curated collections, including the Sherwin-Williams’ Top 50 Colors, the Historic Collection, or branded paints such as Pottery Barn and West Elm.

The only thing to keep in mind is that the photos aren’t quite perfect yet. So don’t expect a deep fake of your living room with lavender walls. However, this app is a fantastic jumping-off point for choosing the right paint color and testing it out in your space.

Related: 33 Absolutely Perfect Paint Colors Designers Love

From AI to IRL

Once you find a color you’re interested in, you can then order a paint chip for free or a peel-and-stick sample. This is a smart idea once you’ve narrowed your selections down to a few colors.

If you still need some more direction, you can also book a free virtual consultation with one of Sherwin-Williams’ Color Experts over the phone, or via text or video. After all, while AI can be a helpful tool, there’s nothing quite like a real human being.

Helpful Tips

It’s important to keep in mind that the app picks up all the colors in the shot. So, if there’s something that’s not normally in the space, like a pair of shoes you took off in your entryway or a child’s toy in your living room, it’s crucial to move it out of the way.

You should also open up the blinds or curtains and let as much natural light in as possible for the most accurate results.

Lastly, don’t forget to adjust your phone settings. Sherwin-Williams advises turning off Night Shift, True Tone, and Color Filters.

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