1. Start with a colour card
A colour card carries printed mini samples of the actual paint, so unlike a screen (which shifts colour from one device to the next), you're looking at the true shade.
If you already know you want a green (or a blue, or a bright red) this is where you explore every green across all three brands and compare them side by side, without spending a penny on samples yet.
Our All-in-One Colour Card is free and brings Little Greene, Farrow & Ball and Paint & Paper Library together in one place, with the seasonal charts and design tips.
2. Try it on your own walls with the visualiser
Once you've got a few colours in mind, our visualiser tool lets you drop those colours straight onto a photo of your own room.
Let's be honest, colour will always vary a little from one screen to another, but it gives you a genuine feel for a shade in your own space. Upload a photo of your room and you can see whether that baby-blue wall and plaster ceiling combination actually works in your room, whether colour-drenching in bright yellow is a joy or a bit much, or whether you just want a single statement wall.
It lets you select your walls, ceiling and floors separately, so you can experiment endlessly and test dozens of ideas from the sofa, with a cup of tea, without lifting a brush.
3. Narrow down with sample pots
Now you're down to two or three favourites, this is the truthful test. A printed sample is neat and useful, but real paint reflects light the way it actually will on your wall - so a sample pot tells you far more.
And scale matters enormously: a colour you love on a small A5 swatch behaves differently across a big patch. A bold shade that felt exciting up close can feel overwhelming at size (or it's the moment you truly fall for it!).
A few useful tips:
Paint your samples onto lining paper.
Two reasons: the texture is closer to a real wall, and the off-white tone gives a truer read. Bright white paper cranks up the contrast your eye has to adjust to and over-exposes the undertones, so a colour looks more vivid and "pure" than it ever will in your room. Painting straight onto the wall works too - just remember that if there's already a colour there (or stark brilliant white), it'll skew how the new shade reads.
Don't paint your samples too close together. Colours sitting side by side confuse the eye and make each harder to judge. Give them space.
Always paint two coats for a true representation. One thin coat won't show the real depth.
Wait for it to dry, and don't panic.Colour can shift a lot as it dries, so judge it dry, not wet; and live with it morning, noon and night, because it changes more through the day than you'd expect.
If you're worried a colour's reading slightly off: dab a dot of your sample straight onto the printed mini-swatch on the colour chart. Once dry, it should melt into the exact same shade.
FAQ's
Can you recommend matching/complementary colours?
You'll find a complementary white and complementary colour schemes on each product page.
We also offer a Colour Consultancy service for projects that need a more specialised approach. Our Colour Consultant, Naomi, provides bespoke colour advice. For any colour-related questions, please email her at naomi@paintandpapers.com.
How to use a colour card?
Colour cards are designed to work the way you actually shop for colour: fold the card back so a single chip is exposed, then hold it up against the fabric, tile, wallpaper or wall you're trying to match.
Each of our three brands we stock paints its cards with the genuine tin colour, never printed ink standing in for pigment, so the chip catches and shifts in light exactly as a painted wall would, whether that's morning sun or a lamp-lit evening. Every card reflects the brand's standard matt emulsion finish, giving you the truest possible preview before you commit to a full tin.
How to pick a colour based on my room's orientation?
North-facing rooms get cooler, flatter light and can make colours look duller or greyer, so warmer or richer shades often read better. South and west-facing rooms get warmer, stronger light, which can wash out pale colours or intensify bold ones.
Learn more
Do I need a sample pot if I've already got a colour card?
Yes - a sample pot lets you see the colour at scale, and that changes everything. A tiny chip on a colour card simply can't show you how a shade behaves across a whole wall, in your own light. Think of it as your final check before committing to a full tin. A bold shade that felt exciting up close can feel overwhelming at size (or it's the moment you truly fall for it!).
Do sample pots come in different finishes?
Sample pots are only available in our standard matt emulsion. Their purpose is to test colour, not finish. To see how a specific finish looks in person, check the back of the colour chart, which includes a small section showing each finish on individual paint chips, or visit your local showroom, where the full range of finishes is on display.
Does the finish (matt, eggshell, etc.) change how a colour looks?
All colour cards and sample pots use the brand's standard matt emulsion, so a glossier finish elsewhere in the room may look very slightly different. This isn't a dramatic shift; it shouldn't read as a different colour. Because each finish uses a slightly different formula, there can be a subtle variation, but it's usually barely visible to the naked eye.
