How do I decide which Benjamin Moore paint product to use?

When it comes to selecting paint, there are a few questions to ask to ensure you’re getting the best product for your project. Clancy’s Rainbow - Benjamin Moore carries 4 main interior paint lines and 3 exterior, as well as a handful of specialty products. Generally, as the price point increases, you’re receiving more quality coverage, durability, washability and longevity of colour value. This is because of the chemical process involved in creating each paint; typically the higher quality it is, the thicker the paint consistency, providing better results. 

When determining which paint line to use, consider the colour, sheen, and location. Colour impacts this choice because the darker and/or more vibrant a colour is, the harder it is to cover (both coating over a dark colour and painting a dark colour light). 

Sheen is a consideration primarily for matte finishes and this is because the higher the quality of paint, the more washable it will be. Although matte is the best for hiding existing blemishes, it tends to scuff more, so choosing a higher quality paint will add more resistance to scuff marks. On the flipside, semi gloss is the best for washability, but it will highlight existing blemishes. 

Lastly, keep location in mind for determining the best product. High moisture areas should be protected with paint that has mouldecides and mildewcides built in, like Regal Select and Aura. Generally, higher traffic areas like kitchen, hallways, entrances require better protection from scuffs and thus higher quality paints work better to not have to touch up as often. For areas more susceptible to fingerprints, stickers and innocent drawings with crayons (a.k.a. kid’s rooms) either choose lower grade paint if you think you’ll be changing colours more frequently or higher quality scuff resistant paint, like Scuff X, to ensure durability throughout the growing years. 

See the chart below for an overview of the main products available and their advantages.

Finding the Perfect White Paint Colour

You’ve searched for hours on Pinterest, read all of the design blogs, watched every show on HGTV and you think you’ve decided on the perfect white - not too gray, not too yellow - and you go to the paint store to pick up a sample only to take it home and realize it’s STILL NOT RIGHT! 

We hear stories like this all of the time and can understand how frustrating it can be; who knew how hard it would be to pick a white? It can feel overwhelming with all the choices, especially since white isn’t even a colour. White is a tint, so it’s important to note that it’s impossible to have a white without any undertones. 

Painting your walls white has been a very popular trend for quite some time because it allows the space to feel larger and more airy. Decorating is easier because almost everything goes well with white, so you have plenty of workability with the neutral shade. 

Benjamin Moore Off White’s Collection

Now, how do you find the perfect white for your walls? There are a couple things to consider when browsing: 

• Does a cool or warm tone fit your space better? 

Cooler whites tend to have undertones of blue or gray while warmer whites will have undertones of yellow or pink. If you have a more modern, minimalistic, or prefer stark, bright whites then cool is the way to go; whereas, warmer whites tend to be softer, more subdued, and great for complimenting other warm tones in a space. 

• Do you want to match your trim or have contrast? 

It is quite common to have an entire space (ceiling, walls, and trim) to be the same white, just in different sheens. It makes the space feel much bigger and open. However, that’s not everyone’s cup of tea so if you prefer having more contrast, make sure you compare the trim white and the white for your walls to ensure they blend well. A tip to not make your walls look dirty in comparison to a crisp white trim is to choose shades that have similar undertones (warm with warm and cool with cool), that way you see less of the undertone because it won’t contrast the temperature difference. 

• What is your lighting situation? 

No matter what colour you choose, lighting will play a huge effect on the way it appears in a space. Do you have pot lights? A single dome light? Just lamps? The more light you have, the starker the white will appear and depending on the colour of bulb you have, it will determine if your light is warm or cool. Another thing to consider is what direction your window faces because natural light will also play an effect on how you see colour. West and East facing will get more sun exposure, creating a warmer atmosphere whereas North and South tend to be cooler with the lack of sun. So what does all of this mean? Typically, you will want to choose the opposite temperature to balance out the light and undertones. For example, in a North facing room, if you have a cool white, you may notice a blue undertone because the lack of sun exposure will make it feel much cooler; but, if you use a warm white, it’ll balance out and look more neutral and pleasing. 

Okay, so now you’ve decided whether a warm or cool white will suit your space the best, you’re ready to pick out some samples. 

We recommend taking colour swatches or tester pots home to ensure you love your colour choice!