Color Swatch Lab

Methodology

Status: in progress. We have not published any measurements yet. This page describes what we will do and will be updated with results, equipment details and dates as we go.

The problem with screen values

Most online paint tools compare the hex or RGB values that brands publish for display. Those are screen approximations. They can't capture how a physical paint reflects light, and two colors that match on screen can differ on a wall.

Our plan

1. Physical samples. Buy peel-and-stick samples or brand chips of the most-searched colors, recording vendor and purchase date.
2. Spectrophotometer readings. Measure each sample with a handheld spectrophotometer, taking at least three readings in different spots and averaging them.
3. Standard conditions. Report CIELAB values under daylight (D65, 10° observer) and warm indoor light (illuminant A), so you can see how a color shifts under bulbs.
4. Measured LRV. Calculate light reflectance from the measured data and show it alongside any manufacturer LRV, clearly labeled.
5. Comparisons. Compare colors with CIEDE2000 (ΔE00), the standard measure of how different two colors look. Roughly: under 1 is very hard to tell apart, 1–2 is very close, 2–3 is visible side by side, over 5 is clearly different.
6. Transparency. Every published value will say whether it was measured by us or comes from another source, with the date.

Limits

Samples can vary between batches, sheens and tinting machines. Our readings describe the samples we measured, not every can of paint. Always test in your own room.