How to Choose a Paint Color & Prep Your Space Properly

Choosing the right paint color is one of the most impactful decisions you’ll make in any home improvement project. As exclusive Benjamin Moore paint dealers, we help homeowners every day navigate color choices with confidence, clarity, and professional guidance so they can create spaces they truly love.

When you choose paint, you are not simply selecting a color — you are shaping the mood, comfort, and personality of your home. Over the years, I’ve learned that the best results always begin with asking the right questions before opening a can.

How do I want this space to feel?
Before focusing on color names or trends, consider the emotion you want the room to create. Do you want it to feel calm, cozy, energizing, welcoming, or sophisticated? Benjamin Moore designs its color collections around emotional response, which is why their colors translate so beautifully into real living spaces. When customers describe how they want to feel in a room, our team can guide them directly toward colors that deliver that experience.

What type of natural light does the room receive?
Lighting plays an enormous role in how paint appears. North-facing rooms feel cooler and benefit from warmer hues. South-facing rooms receive abundant warm light and can handle deeper or cooler tones. East and west exposures change dramatically throughout the day. A Benjamin Moore color that looks creamy on a sample board can appear crisp, cool, or even gray on your wall. Our color specialists help customers interpret light so their chosen color looks beautiful from morning through evening.

What colors already live in the space?
Paint does not exist in isolation. Flooring, cabinetry, countertops, furniture, fabrics, and artwork all influence how a color will appear. Benjamin Moore excels at creating colors that harmonize with wood, stone, metal, and textiles. When customers bring in photos or samples, we help build a palette that ties the entire room together seamlessly.

Am I choosing this color for today or for years?
Trends are fun, but walls are permanent. Benjamin Moore’s timeless neutrals, warm whites, and classic hues remain popular because they adapt to changing décor and age beautifully. If this is your long-term home, select colors that will continue to bring you joy for years to come.

How will this room connect with the rest of the home?
The most beautiful homes flow from space to space. We guide customers in creating cohesive palettes using Benjamin Moore’s coordinated color families so each room feels unique yet connected.

Am I testing my colors the right way?
Never judge a color by the chip alone. Benjamin Moore’s peel-and-stick samples and sample quarts allow you to see color in your actual lighting and on your actual walls. Testing prevents costly mistakes and ensures confidence before committing.

Am I choosing the right Benjamin Moore product?
Different surfaces and spaces require different paint formulations. From Aura® for ultimate durability, to Regal® Select for everyday performance, to ben® for excellent value, Benjamin Moore offers premium solutions for every project. Our team ensures you leave with the exact product your project needs.

Pro Tips

• Always view your test colors at different times of day.
• Walk through your home with the samples taped up — flow matters.
• If you love a bold color, try it in a smaller space first.
• Trust undertones more than color names.

I found the perfect color and product. What now?

Once you find the perfect color and the Benjamin Moore product that will work best in your space, it’s time to actually paint! After decades in this business, I can say with certainty: preparation is the foundation of every successful paint job.

Start with clean surfaces.
Paint adheres best to clean walls. Remove dust, grease, fingerprints, and residue, especially in kitchens and high-traffic areas. This step alone dramatically improves adhesion and finish quality.

Repair what paint cannot hide.
Fill nail holes, cracks, dents, and damaged areas with professional-grade patching materials. Smooth walls create the ideal surface for Benjamin Moore’s rich coverage.

Light sanding makes a major impact.
Sanding removes imperfections, dulls glossy finishes, and allows new paint to bond properly. This step transforms “good” results into “exceptional” ones.

Prime with intention.
Primer seals repairs, blocks stains, evens color, and increases durability. Benjamin Moore primers are engineered to perform with their paints, and our team helps select the proper primer for each surface.

Use the right painting tools.
Professional brushes, rollers, trays, and drop cloths ensure smooth application and beautiful coverage. Premium paint deserves premium tools.

Protect your space.
Cover floors, protect furniture, tape trim, and remove switch plates. Proper preparation keeps your project clean, efficient, and stress-free.

Follow Benjamin Moore’s application guidelines.
Respect dry times, recoat windows, and coverage recommendations to achieve the durability and beauty Benjamin Moore is known for.

Pro Tips
• Use a higher-quality roller cover for smoother finishes.
• Cut in carefully before rolling for professional results.
• Keep your room ventilated and at the right temperature for best drying. At Williams Lumber & Home Centers, our customers never leave guessing. They leave with the right Benjamin Moore products, the right preparation materials, the right tools, and the expert guidance so they NAIL IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

Make a plan to visit one of our seven Williams Lumber locations today!

How to Choose a Paint Color & Prep Your Space Properly

Make a plan to visit one of our seven Williams Lumber locations today!

Sign Up!