How to use paint sample pots
Updating your living space with a fresh new paint colour can transform the look and feel of your home. Although it’s a step often skipped, using paint sample pots is an important part of the process. Sampling paints will give you confidence in your colour choices before you commit to painting the space.
Read our step-by-step guide on how to use paint tester pots as you plan your next decorating projects…
Why do I need to sample paint in situ?
You might have seen a colour on our website or colour card, and it’s exactly what you envisioned for your home refresh. However, there are a number of factors that will affect how the colour will appear in your scheme. These factors range from the light within the space to the orientation of the room. Sampling your chosen shades will mean you can choose the perfect colour with confidence.
All current Little Greene shades are available in 60ml tester pots so you can see how the colour will look within your home.
At Little Greene, we minimise our environmental impact by tinting all our paint to order. While this approach ensures we create minimal waste, it does mean that we are unable to accept returns on paint. As such, it’s important to take every available step to make sure you have full confidence in your colour palette before you order. This way, your decorating journey will be a joyful and fulfilling experience, bringing beauty to your home.
How to test paint colours using sample pots
How to use sample pots within your home
Browse sample pots now
Step 1 – order a colourcard
As the first step in your decorating journey, we always recommend requesting a complimentary Little Greene colour card. While a certain shade on our website or social media may draw you in, it could appear slightly different in person. The slight colour variations are due to factors such as screen resolution.
We apply the swatches on our colour cards using real paint in our Absolute Matt Emulsion finish. These painted swatches will give you the assurance that each shade is exactly how it would appear on a painted wall.
Step 2 – choose a few colours
Browse the palette and try to narrow down to just a few shades that you feel will achieve your desired colour scheme. You might find that ordering too many sample pots creates confusion instead of clarity. So it’s better to spend the time carefully considering your scheme at the colour card stage. Take into account existing furniture, artwork and soft furnishings.
For guidance on choosing colour, explore our website for advice and inspiration. Or visit one of our showrooms to seek help from our friendly team.
Top tip: In addition to your wall colour, make sure to consider whether you will be painting your ceiling, woodwork and adjacent walls in different, complementary shades. You can find recommended coordinating colours on each of our product pages. These shades are perfect for creating a beautiful, cohesive scheme that incorporates all elements.
Step 3 – order and paint out your sample pots
You can now order a selection of sample pots in your chosen shades. We pour all sample pots by hand using our signature Absolute Matt Emulsion finish, which has a sheen level of just 2%. The most effective way to test your paint samples is to paint each shade out onto an A3 or A4 sheet of card or lining paper. Apply two full coats - allowing time to dry in between - to achieve the same depth of coverage as when you paint your walls.
Step 4 – view the samples throughout the space
Painting the samples onto card instead of directly onto the wall allows you to view each shade in different parts of the space. You can hold the painted sample up to each wall in turn. Consider how the colour appears in lighter areas of the room, compared to more shadowy sections.
Avoid positioning small swatches of several colours immediately next to one another - each will affect the way the others read. Also, try and avoid comparing the swatch to bright white - this can be equally misleading.
Step 5 – view the samples throughout the day
It's also important to view your samples at different times of day. Due to the complex pigmentation of Little Greene paint colours, shades can subtly change according to the light. View your shortlist of colours in varying natural light and artificial light, both day and night. Doing so will ensure these shades are perfect for your project.
Step 6 – get painting!
Now you’ve taken the time to order sample pots and test them thoroughly in situ, you should be ready to begin! The only decisions remaining are the paint finish and quantity.
Explore all our paint finishes to find the perfect choice for your project. Whether you are looking for a washable paint for kitchen walls or a hard-wearing woodwork paint, we offer a wide range of options. You can then use the paint calculator on our product pages to work out the recommended quantity needed.
Read our guide to painting a wall for your interior design project. Or explore our Colour Consultancy service for more help and guidance on choosing colour.
