We Tested the Samplize Paint Samples, and It Actually Made Repainting the Kitchen Fun
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My husband and I just tackled a cross-country move from Philadelphia to Chicago, so it’s safe to say we had a lot going on. Between packing, finding an apartment, managing movers, and relocating to an entirely new city, the logistics took up the majority of our brain power. Which also meant I didn’t have much decision-making patience left in me, even though I still had some big choices to make in terms of our new rental apartment’s design.
The good news is that I instantly had an idea for how I wanted to redo the kitchen: moody, mauve walls, oxblood and cream peel and stick floor tiles, maybe even a removable backsplash in a dusty blue color. And even though my vision board was ready to roll out, I knew I’d have to see the colors, patterns, and textures together in front of me before I could start the job. The most important (and most impactful) being what color to paint the kitchen, and finding the exact shade that would complement the design and fit my space the best without hitting decision fatigue and calling the whole thing off before I could even begin.
Since it’s a one-bedroom apartment, every design choice sort of bleeds into one another. The kitchen opens up into the living room and entryway, and the bedroom and bathroom sit just off the main living area. So not only does the paint color in the kitchen impact the way that room looks, but it also needs to complement these other spaces. I knew I didn’t want to repaint the entire place, so it was even more important to choose a color that would give me the look I wanted while still fitting nicely into the apartment style at large.
If I was going to pull off a big DIY project like this, I wanted to make sure I got it right. I’ve painted rooms in the past, but this was going to be the first time I’d be attempting a full-on renter-friendly DIY reno—and one in a more open-concept space—complete with flooring and more. I’d heard about the big, peel and stick Samplize paint samples online, and I figured I’d give them a shot. (They had to be better than taping those tiny paper paint chips that you get from the hardware store onto the wall.) After ordering and sampling 16 paint samples on my kitchen walls, here’s how it impacted my project.
How Samplize Works
Samplize offers two sizes of paint samples, 9 x 15 inches or 15 x 18 inches. Each is painted with two coats of real paint, and they offer an enormous selection of paints from some of the most popular brands, like BEHR, Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, and Sherwin-Williams.
The finish of the paint samples is dependent on the manufacturer. BEHR and Benjamin Moore samples come in eggshell (10-25% sheen), Sherwin-Williams samples come in satin (17-25% sheen), and Farrow & Ball samples come in estate emulsion (2% sheen). The finish will impact how the color looks on the wall, so I kept that in mind while I was comparing paint samples. I knew I was going to buy my paint in a satin or semi-gloss finish regardless, since we’d be painting our kitchen walls. (Glossy finishes are best for frequent cleaning, and helps resist moisture and grease.)
Once you get your samples, the process of comparing paint colors is pretty straightforward: Simply peel off the back paper, and stick it to your wall! When you’ve made your decision, gently lift one corner and slowly peel the Samplize sheet off the wall. Easy-peasy. You can even move them around the room so you can see the paint samples in different areas, or assess how your lighting will affect the color.
What I Ordered
I wasn’t sure how dark would be too dark (or how light would be too light) for the look I was going for, so I ordered a range—16 paint samples from different paint brands offered at Samplize, all various shades of mauve ranging from a neutral pink Dead Salmon (Farrow & Ball) to a deep burgundy Bewitched (Benjamin Moore). These were my top 8 picks for this project.
Shipping and Delivery
Shipping times were surprisingly fast—order at least 10 samples, and you score free overnight delivery. That was ideal for someone like me, who was excited to start their project as soon as possible. (My toxic trait is wanting my rental space to feel like a home the moment I step in the door.) If you opt for less than 10 samples, overnight shipping is $8.95 in the US, or C$20 in Canada.
How I Used the Samplize Paint Samples
The great thing about Samplize is that because they stick right onto the wall and they come in large, 9 x 15 or 15 x 18-inch sizes, you can visualize how your paint will look at different times of day, how it’ll pair with other design elements (like the floor, backsplash, cabinetry, etc.), and how the color will actually look in the room, since they’re made with real coats of paint.
Over the course of a week, I gradually started taking down samples that didn’t resonate with the design I was going for. And slowly but surely, I could see it all coming together! It made the entire process so much easier since I was able to move around the samples, explore what they’d look like in different lighting, and get a real big-picture idea of the final product, all with the most minimal effort on my part. All that decision-making fatigue I was complaining about earlier? I didn’t have a single worry when it came to the paint color.
In the end, I was between two—Hushed Auburn (Sherwin-Williams) and Almond Beige (Benjamin Moore)—but ended up going with Almond Beige. It wasn’t too light, wasn’t too dark, but offered that moody mauve look I was going for. Plus, it worked well against the grey-toned walls in the rest of my apartment that I wasn’t planning to paint (yet).
So, Is Samplize Worth It?
A million times yes. If you have a paint project you want to start but you’re worried about wasting time and money trying to find the exact-right color, I’d definitely recommend starting with Samplize. You’ll save yourself from countless trips to the store, wasted money on paint sample cans, and probably at least one mental breakdown about how “every color looks wrong.” (Hey, we’ve all been there!).
As compared to how I chose paint colors in the past—either with the tiny sample cards you get from the store that never actually look like the real thing, or the sample-sized paint cans that just end up making a mess of your walls from the jump—the Samplize paint samples made the process of finding the right color easier than I ever thought it’d be. The samples were affordable, useful, non-damaging, and accurate. Especially in a space like a rental apartment, this all matters. And honestly, it was really fun to get to see how so many different colors would look in my space.
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Bree Pulver O'Hagan
Bree is the Senior Digital Editor at DrewandJonathan.com. In the past, she’s worked for publications focused on home improvement and sustainable living. Bree’s Pinterest board is filled with cozy textures; vintage patterns; sculptural furniture; and moody, warm-toned colors. She has a degree concentrated in the intersection of writing and architecture, which influences her passion for exploring creative solutions to unusual home layouts and stylish renter-friendly decor. She’s a self-proclaimed pro at finding the best antique furniture in the most unlikely of places (but her cat Blue can certainly back these claims).
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