If you remember the brand you used originally, download their app. If you don’t know the brand, try a few different apps to see which gives you the closest match, or try an app like Paint My Place which uses multiple paint brands. [1] X Research source
Since natural light changes throughout the day, it may help to take a color reading in the morning, afternoon, and evening. If your room doesn’t have much natural light, use the room’s primary light source to test the paint. Incandescent lights will make paint seem warmer, while fluorescent lights look cooler. Halogen bulbs more closely resemble daylight.
Let the paint dry completely before you check whether it’s a match, since wet paint can look like a different color at first.
If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to wait a few hours for the light to change, try taking pictures with the flash on and off, or with the main light on, followed by lamplight. Holding up a true white piece of paper or cardstock in the picture can help your camera to automatically correct the color balance. [4] X Research source
If you like, you can also purchase or borrow a fan deck of colors from the paint store so you’ll have access to all of the shades a particular brand offers.
Of course, if none of the samples are a match, you will probably be able to tell right away. If one sample is a match early in the day and another matches better in the evening, ask the paint store if they can mix a shade in between.
In addition to changes in light throughout the day, changes in weather can also affect your paint color. Your swatches might look different on a sunny day than they do on a day when that’s overcast.
In addition to giving you a more accurate color match, cleaning the wall will help the new paint adhere better.
Place the sample in a plastic bag or an envelope so it doesn’t get smudged before you get to the paint store. Once the store has analyzed the color, dab a little of the paint onto a corner of the sample and let it dry to ensure it’s a perfect match.
If there’s not an existing color that matches your object, the paint store can mix one up for you.
