Paint Software

Calendar September 30, 2003 | Posted by Aubrey Turner

In the comments to my last post, Full Auto asks about what software I’m using to visualize the paint I’ve chosen.  Last night, I went looking for software that helps you visualize how the room would look after painting.  Aside from the deceptive search result pages (i.e. stuff that uses a seemingly relevant domain name to lure you into some pop-up laden trojan-installing site), I came up with the following:

  • Benjamin Moore: Personal Color Viewer.  This is an online application that lets you try out various shades of paint on their example photos.  There is also a professional version available for $10.00 (online download, CD-ROM is a little more) that lets you import
    your own pictures.  I got the professional version this morning and played with it some.  The only problem was that the color samples I liked yesterday were from Glidden and I had trouble finding ones in the program that matched well (mainly because my ability to remember colors isn’t very good).
  • Glidden: Color@Home II.  This is a CD-ROM based application that lets you try out Glidden paints on your own photos.  It’s only available in stores.  I remember seeing it in Home Depot for $5.95 but I didn’t pick it up at the time.  I’m going to buy it this afternoon and give it a try.
  • Virtual Painting is an online application that lets you try paints from a number of different companies.  The free trial version works against two sample photos.  If you want to upload your own photos, it costs $9.95 for 30 days of access.

I also bought Total 3D Home Deluxe 4.0 over the weekend but I haven’t figured out the program’s interface yet (and I didn’t feel like playing with it for long last night).  I may come back to it later, since it should also help me figure out room layouts.  It’s supposed to be able to let you import a photo and try out paint shades on it, but it requires you to have created a home design project first (and created the wall layouts, etc).

There are a number of other products out there, and other paint companies have their own programs.  I found this stuff by doing a Google search for interior paint software.

Category Categories: Domestic Affairs

1 Comment

  1. Full Auto says:
    September 30, 2003 at 7:14 pm

    Aubrey,
    Thanks.  When I posted the question, my Mother in Law, who I love, was over and her and my wife were trying to visualize colors.  The problem is my MIL looks at a room and starts to want to tear out walls etc.  We just want to do what we can with decorating, paint, or wallpaper and such.  The house is just fine the way it is.  The main body was built in the 1840’s with 9 foot ceilings and a lot of windows and was added to 3 times over the years.  We’re trying to honor the fact that the house is old without making it look like we are Amish wannabes or something.  That software should come in handy.