How to Fix the Wrong Color on Painted Walls

Take photographs of each piece of furniture and decor in the room. Take samples of each textile and paint chips to represent the current walls, ceiling, trim and floor colors. Arrange your photos on a large white cardboard surface. Cut around each item with scissors to remove as much of the wall color as possible. Attach the photos to the board with a dab of glue to hold them in place.

Take the paint chips that represent your current wall colors and place a chip next to each piece of furniture. It may be necessary to cover other images with white paper so they don't distract you. Move from image to image until you identify the jarring color combination. Often this will be from a larger furniture piece, a rug or drapery fabric or even a floor color.

Check the jarring item to determine if it is a piece you love or if it can be easily changed. In some cases you can slipcover an old piece of furniture and correct the color problem. If you wish to keep the decor and change the wall color, obtain a complete set of paint chips from the paint store. Use the chips to identify every color used in the room.

Separate your decor palette chips from the rest of the set. The corrected wall color will be one of the colors in the decor palette. Look for a neutral or soft color. The paint chip for that color should have a range of tones. Select a lighter tone for the walls and two shades lighter for the ceiling. If the chip doesn't show two shades lighter, have the paint department custom mix it for you. This will bring down the contrast of a white ceiling.

Purchase sample paint. Tape off 3-by-3-foot squares on two adjacent walls in the room and paint the squares. Observe the paint every six hours to see how light changes the color. Once you are satisfied the color will transform the room, remove the furnishings and paint the room and ceiling. You can test several paint choices before finding the right one for your decor.