How to create your perfect paint colour

Whether you are re-decorating a whole room, want to add some colour to your outdoor space or fancy adding a unique colour to a kitchen or bathroom, with Valspar you can match any colour and create the paint you want.

Valspar's state-of-the-art colour matching technology, available in every B&Q store, allows them to mix an incredible 2.2 million colours - that's as many as the eye can see!

Colour is the most powerful tool we have to personalise our environments, so it makes sense to use colours that feel special to you. As a rule of thumb, always try to build a scheme around an emotion, a mood or an idea.

Inspiration for colour can come from anywhere. The natural world, fashion, travel, film, magazines and the internet are all rich sources of inspiration.
Studies have shown that colour has a direct physical and emotional effect on us so consider the atmosphere you want to create within a space before you get started.

Picking a colour can seem a little daunting at first. Luckily Valspar has 236ml tester pots available in every colour, so you can try out your palette at home before making a decision.
With the generous tester pot size, you can trial your colour on a larger area and get a truer feel of it in different lights and times of the day.

We recommend painting in high, central, and low areas of the wall to get a better idea of how the colour will appear in lighter and darker areas of the room. You can even use the left over paint for smaller projects, such as furniture upcycling or creating accent pieces. Valspar also has 2,000 pre-selected colours available on their chip rack with swatches of each to take home with you.

Choose your sample colour

Colour inspiration can come from anywhere! From wallpaper to fabric, your favourite flower to your children's toys. Simply find a sample of the colour you would like matched that's a minimum of 0.5cm in diameter (the more solid the colour the more accurate the match will be), bring in your sample to Valspar's paint desk at B&Q, and watch the magic happen!

Colour matching with Valspar

Valspar can accurately match its paint to your desired sample using its unique technology, creating your very own personalised colour to take home there and then. If you'd like a lighter or darker version of your paint just ask, this can be a great way to create a monochromatic colour scheme in your chosen space. No more flicking through endless paint charts - it couldn't be simpler and easier.

Choose your finish

Once you've got your formula, all you need to do is choose the right paint product for your project. Your unique colour-matched colour can be mixed into almost any Valspar paint product and finish, whether you're painting an interior or exterior space, wood and metal, or masonry. What's more, Valspar® Premium's super-scrub paint formula makes it easy to clean and maintain, there's no odour and your project is touch dry in one hour.

Creating your personalised colour with Valspar is free and they can keep your formula on file in case you need to come back for more.