Should I accept that there are no exact color matches after 19 years and repaint the whole room with a new color?
Asked by Kira Grigorchuk 
3 months ago
Last Updated: September 21, 2024
Wow, thank you all for the great advice! I was thinking I could just touch up the paint in my son’s room after 19 years, but it looks like I’ll have to repaint the whole thing. Lesson learned – no exact color matches after that long! I tried to color match a sample from the actual wall, but it’s not quite right. Looks like I’ll be changing up the color scheme this afternoon. Change is good, right? Thanks again for the help, everyone!
The mixing ratio often varies between a gallon and a quart, depending on the person mixing the paint. If you bring a sample of the paint to the store, they will try to adjust the color of what you purchased or acknowledge the error and mix a new can for you.
There’s no way the paint still has the same formula as it did twenty years ago…
It’s been 19 years – painting the entire room wouldn’t hurt and it would definitely improve the overall look.
Have you considered creating an accent wall with a different color? It might be a good idea to apply a fresh coat of paint to the entire room as well.
Paint loses its brightness over time, whether it’s under the sun or not. You might have to repaint the entire room.
You know, there are times when I doubt the color match because the paint is 20 years old. I mean, I can’t vouch for everyone, but I know I’ve changed over the years (let’s not talk about age, okay?). Paint formulas can vary even if it’s from the same brand, sheen, sub-brand, or if it’s premium/diamond/platinum, etc. I bet most paint companies (actually there are only about 4 or 5) have tweaked their formulas in some way over time. So, the color won’t behave exactly the same. Plus, environmental factors like temperature, odors, etc., can affect how the paint looks. It might fade or change over time. Sadly, you’ll probably need to repaint the whole room. But look at it as a chance to start fresh. Pick a color you absolutely love and get creative. You’ve got a blank canvas to work with.
I am definitely not the same person as I was 19 years ago. I’m heading out to buy more paint to redo the entire room.
Stephanie Skinner Waltrip
After 19 years, it’s about time to give the whole room a fresh coat of paint.
Go ahead and use that quart to paint just the one wall without stressing about an exact match. Often, due to the way light hits different walls in a room, they never appear exactly the same anyway.
Unfortunately, there are spots on every wall that need fixing. Mostly tack holes, but I doubt fixing just one wall will be enough.
If you happen to chip a piece, they might have an easier time matching it.
Back in the day, I worked as a paint seller. The color can vary, even within the same production run. We always advised customers to mix the paint from different gallons. Start by pouring them into a 5-gallon bucket. Achieving a perfect match is quite challenging due to chemical variations and even differences in humidity during application. My recommendation is to invest the extra money and paint the entire room. Apologies,
Matching the paint chip is definitely your best option. UV fading is inevitable, and in the past 20 years, there have been significant advancements in tint base technology for paint, making many old color codes obsolete.
Avoid doing that, just get new paint. I attempted reusing paint when renovating my son’s room and regretted it every day – you notice every detail I had to repaint.
‘s room faces south and east with windows. Since it’s just a spare room, the blinds are always open. I would notice every imperfection. I can’t accept that. 🤷🏻♀️
Go ahead and paint the entire room – you’ll be glad you did! Make sure to mix the new paint you just bought with another gallon of the same color.
Julie Shreffler Patz on my way to do exactly that!😊
For nearly two decades, UV rays and various other factors have been impacting the paint. Even if you managed to have the original paint can and it seemed fine, it would still end up drying in a different shade.
I should have known better. I’m not the same person I was 19 years ago either. 🤷🏻♀️
If you really don’t want to repaint everything, you could cut a piece of paint from behind the dresser or bed, bring it in to get color matched. SW needs at least a 1.5″ square or larger to match it.
I have 7 walls in one bedroom and 6 in another due to built-in closets and an offset door. I’m using large sample cans to get various shades of aqua, green, and teal on each wall of the first room, and different shades of blue in the second room. These rooms face west and each wall reflects light in a unique way. It’s been enjoyable choosing the colors and I can paint one wall at a time without having to empty the rooms completely, just moving furniture around as needed.