I love helping friends pick out paint colors. I have a few tried-and-true colors I always recommend. While I still love going to the store to pick out paint samples and consult a professional, there are times when I am out and about and see a color I love. I have to know what it is at that moment because it’s Murphy’s Law that I would find the exact color I want when I don’t have a color palette handy. Thankfully, technology has solved that issue for me with color apps for smart phones.

These apps use your phone to match real-world colors. Like the shade of a green leaf? Let an app match it to a paint chip and suggest coordinating colors. You can even create and save your own custom palettes.

• Benjamin Moore has “Ben Color Capture.” With this free app, snap a picture with your phone of an object that’s a color that inspires you, or upload a photo that has a color you like, and let the app match it to a Benjamin Moore paint color. Get the paint chip number and a strip of similar and complementary colors.
• Sherwin-Williams has the “Color Snap” app. Snap a photo of fabric or upholstery and use this free app to match it. Focus your camera on a spot and the app will find a Sherwin-Williams color match, plus give you two complementary colors.
• For iPhone users “ColorChange” is a for-fee app ($2.99 at iTunes). This app lets you take any image and “paint” it the color you want. It’s not limited to walls; you can “paint” ceilings, trim and floors too. A great way to see a color before committing.

Keep in mind that on-screen colors may vary from actual paint colors, so take your chip numbers to the paint store with you for matching.

Anybody out there have paint apps they like? I would love to know about them!

By Regina Walter