Fashion

4 Useful Tools for Colour Matching

Finding the perfect paint colour is as simple as point, shoot, and tap with these online and mobile colour-matching tools

By Tamara Povarchook /

Credit: iStockphoto – mediaphotos

Now you can take a picture of your favourite colour and turn it into paint for your home

How many times have you spotted a colour – in a café, at the beach, in a store – and wished you could turn it into a paint colour?

It’s easier than ever to do that now with a few online tools and your trusty smartphone.



Credit: Benjamin Moore

ben® Colour Capture™

Benjamin Moore’s ben® Colour Capture™app for iPhone and Android will find the closest match in its catalogue for that swatch of perfection you spot wherever you are. Just take a photo of your colour inspiration, tap on the picture, and the app will instantly reveal the closest Benjamin Moore paint colour match.

And the Benjamin Moore website has another cool feature, the Personal Colour Viewer, which allows you to see how paint colours will look on your walls before making your final selection.



Credit: Pictaculous

Pictaculous

If you’re trying to create an entire palette, try Pictaculous. All you have to do is upload a photo to the website, and the generator instantly creates a palette of colours based on your image, as well as providing a series of recommended colour swatches.

You can download your selected swatches, print them, and bring them to any paint store to find the closest colour match.



Credit: Robert Allen Design Group

Color Search

Robert Allen’s Color Search tool allows designers to build a custom palette from a wide range of signature Robert Allen colours, or upload a photo and the tool will suggest various hues.

The Color Search tool also offers product recommendations for fabric and trim based on the personalized palette.



Credit: Sherwin-Williams

ColorSnap®

Sherwin Williams’ ColorSnap®app for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry is similar to the Benjamin Moore app, but with more specific features.

You can finetune colours by modifying lightness, saturation and hues. The app also provides detailed colour information including colour names, RGB values, and LRV numbers.