How to Pick Paint to Match Laminate Flooring

Bring a sample of the flooring to a paint store, if possible. Most paint stores can computer-match paint colors to almost anything you bring in, and they can do it with samples as small as a square inch.

Take paint swatches home with you if you can't bring a sample to the store. Visit a big box store that sells several different brands for the widest variety of swatches and pick whichever ones look right. Don't worry if you choose a swatch from a brand you dislike: paint stores can custom match any brand from the swatch.

Set the swatches on the floor. Do this in good light. To make it easier to assess, cut the swatches into separate squares, trimming off the white border with scissors. Choose the color that best matches the laminate floor.

If the floor is not a solid color, choose a dominant color in the laminate and match the paint to that.

Pick a color that blends if the flooring is multicolored. Set the swatches on the floor and half-close your eyes until everything is blurry. The color that blends the best will "disappear."

Pick up a test quart or sample size of the color you've chosen. Paint a large test sample--2 or 3 square feet--on the wall to make sure it looks right before purchasing the rest of the paint. It can be difficult to predict colors from the tiny swatches.

Match the sheen of the paint to the floor for the closest match. Most laminate floors are either a satin or glossy finish, so choose a satin or semi-gloss paint for the walls or trim.