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Everything You Need to Know about a Paint’s Undertone

September 11, 2018 by iccfloors Leave a Comment

If you are interested in learning everything you need to know about paint’s undertone, you came to the right place! First, let us start off by defining an undertone. When you mix together two or more colors, the undertone is the color that shows through a color formula. In essence, the undertone is typically the color that is used the most within the formula. If you used a lot of red in a beige color, there would be a pink undertone. This is the reason that choosing neutrals can be tricky. 

Your primary colors (red, blue and yellow) do not have undertones. In essence, you only have pure red, blue or yellow. You cannot have an undertone within a pure color. 

Now you may be intrigued. You may be thinking that you need to know more in order to choose the right color. Exactly! That is why we created this resource for you. This is everything you need to know about a paint’s undertone. Let’s get started! 

Everything You Need to Know about a Paint’s Undertones: 
Matching Undertones. 
Undertones have matching colors that look good with them. You will need to select the colors that work with them in order to create harmony. For a more detailed explanation, keep on reading. 

Masstones vs. Undertones. 
Whatever room you are currently sitting in, look up at the wall and take a look at the color you see. The color that you quickly assessed to be your wall color to be is called a “masstone.” Typically, we refer to the color by its masstone, but it is highly influenced by its undertone. The undertone is what gets people into trouble when selecting a color. The undertone is the “subtle” appearance of color underneath of your masstone color. 

Determining an Undertone. 
Now we are going to talk about the complicated part, determining your color’s undertone. If you are trying to figure out a color’s undertone, the easiest way to find it is to compare it next to a color wheel. Your color wheel provides the purest form of your three primary colors; therefore, it is easy to find an undertone for primary colors (red, blue and yellow). But what about non-primary colors? Experts recommend sampling a few paint swatches inside of your home to determine the undertone. 

What Undertones to Avoid. 
The undertones that give homeowners the most issues are: green and pink. Green undertones become problematic against your cabinetry and wood floors. The orange/yellow hues inside of wood often clash with a green undertone. If you think about it, blue is the primary color that creates green. Blue is what is creating an imbalance of color against your warm-toned cabinets and floors. For matching your floors and cabinetry, we recommend trying a yellow or red undertone. Secondly, pink becomes an issue. This undertone is most often a problem with green, blue or violet. Instead of choosing a pink undertone, experts recommend opting for a warm yellow. 

Now that you have mastered the art of undertones, you are ready to take on the paint store! Did you know that ICC Floors offers a vast selection of Benjamin Moore products? Our sales staff would love to assist you in selecting a paint color with the perfect undertone for your space. Stop by one of our beautiful showrooms for more information. 

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