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Free Tools to Help You Choose House Paint Colors

See your house in many colors using easy software and online tools

By , About.com Guide

Wouldn't it be great to preview color combinations on your house, before spending a lot of money on paint? You can, with digital painting tools. Just point and click to see rooms, furnishings, and house exteriors in many different colors. The software and online tools listed here are inexpensive, and most are FREE! Keep in mind, however, that your monitor cannot render colors precisely. Use these digital painting tools to explore possibilities, then test spot your chosen paints in a small area.

1. Colorjive

Sign up for a free Colorjive account, and you can upload a photo of your house, experiment with thousands of colors, and save up to three different versions. You might not be able to render small details, but this online tool is so easy, you'll be able to "paint" your house in a matter of minutes. More features and options are available for a modest annual fee.

2. CBN Selector™

The CBN Color Selector is a complex and powerful software program that lets you visualize the appearance of thousands of colors on a variety of surfaces including stucco and concrete. Once you've selected your colors, you'll have a precise CBN Code that will let you order the color mix you want from your local dealer. You can download this software and try it out for 30 days for free.

3. Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer

The free online paint color tool from the Benjamin Moore paint company lets you color sample photos showing interior and exterior views. To color photos of your own house, you'll need to purchase the inexpensive Benjamin Moore software program, which is available for Windows and Mac.

4. Resene EzyPaint

Use the easy, free version on EzyPaint online, or pay to download the more sophisticated version which includes a drawing and mapping tool that lets you fine tune the areas you want to color. The Ezypaint software programs are available for PC or Mac, and will let you view thousands of colors manufactured by the New Zealand paint company, Resene.

5. Valspar's Virtual Painter

Upload a photo and use the easy online tools to try out Valspar paint colors, which are available at Lowe's home improvement stories. Free.

6. Sherwin-Williams Painting Images Color Simulator

Select a photograph that most closely resembles the style of your house, then choose the Sherwin-William palette to experiment with color combinations. Free.

7. Better Homes & Gardens Color-A-Home

Register for a free log-in, then use the free online tools to view different color combinations on a variety of house styles.

8. Photo-Editing Programs

Chances are, you already have a photo-editing program on your computer. While not specifically designed to work with house painting, most photo-editing programs include tools that can help you in the color selection process. This page from Microsoft Windows XP shows how to do this using Microsoft Digital Image Suite. Other programs work in similar ways.

What Color Is Your House?

Have you painted your house new colors? How did the project turn out? Tell us about your new house paint color scheme, share photos, and see pictures from other homeowners. Show your colors.

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