Short answer: test paint colors with large samples, on the actual walls, at several times of day, because Colorado's high-altitude sun makes colors read differently than chips do. Narrow choices with a brand's online visualizer, then decide in daylight on your own house.
Why altitude changes what you see
Ultraviolet exposure rises about 2% for every 1,000 feet of elevation, according to EPA figures reported by KOAA. At Denver's 5,280 feet that is roughly 10% more than at sea level, by our estimate from that rate. The bright, dry light that comes with it is part of why a color that looked warm and soft on a store chip can look washed out on a south-facing wall in July.
A sample method that works
- Shortlist on screen. Brand visualizers (Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap, Benjamin Moore's Personal Color Viewer, Behr's visualizer) are good for narrowing twenty colors to three.
- Paint big samples. Two-foot squares on poster board or directly on the wall. Small chips exaggerate saturation differences.
- Put them where they'll live. Inside: next to trim and flooring. Outside: on the sunniest and the shadiest walls.
- Look three times. Morning, midday and evening, plus once under your own lamps for interiors.
- Step back. Judge exteriors from the street, not from arm's length.
Two numbers worth reading on the chip
LRV (light reflectance value)
A 0 to 100 scale for how much light a color reflects. Higher numbers look lighter. In strong sun, colors with high LRV can look whiter than expected, and very dark colors absorb more heat.
Sheen
Flatter sheens hide surface flaws and look softer; higher sheens look slightly darker and richer and clean more easily. The same color in two sheens will not look identical.
Exterior extras
- Check HOA color rules before falling in love with anything.
- Look at your roof, stone and brick in the same light; they don't change, so the paint has to work with them.
- Pick colors over the winter so a spring start isn't held up. See planning a spring exterior.
Voice answer: how do I choose an exterior paint color in Colorado?
Shortlist with a brand visualizer, then paint large samples on your sunniest and shadiest walls and look at them morning, noon and evening from the street before deciding.