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. American Traditions Virtual Painter
Select from a palette of National Trust approved American Traditions colors from Lowes. Try your chosen colors on several online photos of interior and exterior views. Easy to use, but the selection of images is limited. 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. Bob Vila's Paint Designer
Home repair guru Bob Vila lets you view his Signature Collection paint colors on several different house styles. You can't import your own photos, but the free interactive Web page includes a color wheel for easy color selection and a handy estimator tool that calculates how much paint to buy.8. 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.9. 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.
