It may sound crazy, but nothing tells you less about how your finished room will look than holding your swatches up to the walls you’re about to paint. In fact, looking at a paint swatch against the existing wall color can actually fool your eyes into seeing the swatch color as warmer or cooler than it really is.

Instead, test your swatches against the actual fabrics and furnishings you plan to use. You’ll get a much clearer sense of which paint colors work best, and you’ll spend a lot less time deciding on the right palette for your room.