Color-matching Wallpaper & Paint

In the world of interior design, choosing the right colors is paramount, and color trends are a hot topic again as paint brands launch their 'color of the year' for 2024.

Benjamin Moore announced their color of the Year for 2024 as 'Blue Nova,' which is a comforting shade of blue with undertones of lavender. Sherwin Williams also went for blue for their 2024 color of the year, but chose a calming and muted shade of light blue.

While it's common practice to choose a wallpaper that pairs well with a paint color, many homeowners want to go one step further and get an exact color match across both paint and paper, but it can be difficult to know how to achieve this. James Mellan-Matulewicz, Creative Director at wallpaper brand Bobbi Beck shares his expert advice when it comes to getting the exact same color for your paint and wallpaper:

Top Tips for Matching Colors

1. Don’t rely on web colors as a reference. If you’re looking for a perfect match, then it’s important to get paper and paint samples in your hands, especially if you’re ordering online. Everyone’s screens have different settings, so colors represented online are often distorted.

2. Start with the paper. While some wallpaper brands offer customization, it’s generally easier to get a custom paint color to match the paper. The easiest thing to do is to get a paper sample and take it into a local paint store. They can scan the paper with a color reader and produce a paint in that color.

3. Double check your quantities. If you’re customizing a wallpaper or paint to match, you’re unlikely to be able to return any excess, as typically customized products are non-returnable. It’s therefore important to get as accurate as possible with how much paint and paper you need for your project.

4. Check colors in different lights. Before committing to your color, it's essential to sample it in the room you're decorating. Lighting and surroundings can significantly impact how a color appears. Test a small area of the wall with your chosen paint color and observe it at different times of the day to ensure it works well with your wallpaper.

5. Check batch numbers. If you’re ordering from a wallpaper supplier that manufactures in large batches, then you should check the batch number before ordering. You want to make sure your sample and final wallpaper order are from the same batch, as you can get color deviations between print runs.

6. Be realistic in your expectations. While you may be looking for a perfect color match between your paint and wallpaper, it's important to remember that they’re not the same products, so there may always be some minor color discrepancies. This could be based on how the paint reacts to certain walls, the different finishes across the materials, such as mattes, satins, and glosses, and how surrounding colors in the room can affect your perception of the other colors.

Editor's Note: Bobbi Beck is a design and print studio specializing in sustainable luxury wallpaper. Bobbi Beck wallpaper is made to order, and the brand offers a color-matching service, allowing you to customize your wallpaper to a pre-existing paint color.