How long does it take to choose a paint color?

We recently ran a poll on Houzz: How long does it take to choose a paint color?

We received over a thousand votes and comments ranging from 1/2 hour to a “long time”. Choosing a color for your walls is no easy task. It is all about selecting a color scheme that will pull design elements together to create harmony and balance as well. The duration it takes a person to settle on a given color will vary from one person to the other. There are those people that will make their decision right there and then and there are those that might take months to settle.

There are those people that will make up their mind immediately. This group of people has a specific look in mind that they want to achieve. They will therefore have their mind made up on what they should get. For some it only takes them a couple of minutes to have their mind made up on what they want. Some suggested picking an inspiration and stick to it.

Some take a few days to make up their mind. One respondent said she chooses three sample paints them on the walls, one very well lite and the other dark. This way, even after selecting she does not get surprises after selecting. By narrowing down your choices you will have a smaller selection to choose from and you will not drive yourself crazy.

When there are other factors to consider such as a spouse, it might take even longer than a month. A certain respondent said she paints samples behind art and with time she takes the art down to see how the paint looks during various times of days and different weather conditions. This could make the decision making process take longer.

You might simply start simply looking at different colors, after which you start looking at the different tones and you just get even more confused. With time you start canceling off color shades that you least like and your choices become narrow with time. A particular responded suggested taking pictures of your furniture and trying to find a color that could go with your furniture. For a certain respondent it has been two years and she has not settled on a color yet.

When it comes to choosing a color, a lot of factors come into place. Some will be affected by their indecisive nature, making the process longer. Others know exactly what they want and the decision takes minutes. In the end there is no standard time, take your time to find what is right for you.