How can you define exactly what color you are looking for? Mull over the hue, settle on the value, consider the intensity and voilà—meet your perfect color. These are the three defining factors that give each color its unique character:

Hue describes the actual color—what you’d see in the rainbow. It is the distinguisher between red and blue, orange and yellow. Check out our Color Psychology info to learn how color reflects your personality.

Value describes the lightness or darkness of a color, and must be taken into consideration depending on a room’s lighting, shadows and the level of sheen in the paint. Intensity (or chroma) indicates the strength of the color—whether it is bold and intense, or subtle and subdued. Consider the kind of statement you want to make in your room.