You're Wasting Money On Expensive Paint (When There's An Affordable Option)

There's something about painting your home that turns you into a total paint snob. And yeah, of course it's really important to be obsessed with the shade you picked out, but that doesn't mean you need to fork out designer prices for the one you love. Any paint store with color-matching technology can actually recreate your perfect shade from a more premium brand for a much lower cost — which feels a little like cheating, but in the absolute best way. This can be done with any color and shade, so figure out the type of paint colors that make your home look expensive, and then buy a tin whose price tag says otherwise.

This type of clever color-matching isn't just getting a deal, it can also change the entire painting process because it encourages you to focus on what you actually want in your room instead of what a brand is convincing you to buy. These fancy companies rely on their marketing to convince paint shoppers their shades are premium, but actually, all it takes is a scanner to read the formula and mix it into an affordable base, and the whole illusion is shattered. It'll be a pretty good match to the shade you want and will behave exactly the same in the painting process too.

Color-matching is the simplest hack allowing you to skip the endless quest of figuring out how to pick paint colors like a real designer or which brand has the "best pigments." Instead, it all comes down to simple preference. And by spending less money, you're given the luxury of being braver in your choices — test out some bolder shades without feeling like you have to commit because you forked out half your paycheck on the paint itself.

Another perk is the ability to tweak the shade before you commit — the color-match specialist can adjust it right there, making it darker, lighter, cooler, or warmer. This kind of freedom is perfect for avoiding common mishaps. If you want to avoid the paint colors that'll instantly cheapen your home, this is a surefire way to test the sample thoroughly. You can take home a swatch first to see how it performs in your home's natural light or against furniture. Then, by the time the final color is chosen, you will feel calm and confident about your decision, and the total cost will stay comfortably low.