Painting over white and painting over the bosc pear would produce a different color. Also the amount of light in a room would cause a difference. Orrrrr it could be that the green is making the tan look grayer, tape off an area about two feet wide and paint inside it and see if it still looks gray, if it does you have to decide what to do. Prime or pick another paint.

I hope this advise isn't too late but the house we bought had a variety of bold bright colors in it. Half way through painting them all, we learned that mixing in 1 oz. of black to the white primer does a much much better job covering all the colors evenly. Also, with the gray, we only had to use 1 coat of gray primer vs 2 coats of the white. After priming, the new color went on a lot easier and more crisply. If you're going to repaint the two rooms, you may want to give that a try even if you're changing to different colors.

So, am I understanding this correctly...the LT is on part of each wall, abutting the previous color or primer? If so, I would proceed. Color is what it is partly because of what's around it. It is really tough to get a good sense of the final color when you are so strongly influenced by what you're painting over.

My hunch is that once you have two good solid coats up everywhere, the "two colors" will come into alignment. I probably would have primed over the Bosc Pear just to level the playing field. At best you'll have the "same" color. At worst, you'll have a variation-on-a-theme type of thing, two colors that are closely related and hopefully harmonious. That could actually be a good thing.

A partially painted room will throw off the color for several reasons including the contrast with the background and lack of a second coat of paint.

As for not using a primer between the Bosc Pear and the Lenox Tan, that's a judgment call. Two coats of Lenox Tan might be enough to cover, the alternative being a third coat if needed.

He IS going to put on two coats of paint, right?

When I was painting a mint-toothpaste-green bathroom to a pale clay-taupe it went through a disgusting deep pinkish-beige stage when the walls were partly painted.

And, your two rooms will always look slightly different because they have different lighting. Paint changes. Right now, the Behr "Amethyst Cream" (very pale lavender) in my office looks off white, while in my house-0mates office it looks lavender-grey and on the LR fireplace it's definitely lavender until the light shifts.

I have done my share of painting recently and agree that in the end it should look the same (would definitely do 2 coats though). Lighting definitely affects the color though. I have the same color in my sunroom as living room and it looks like a different color in each. Not liking it so much in the sunroom where it goes greenish compared to the living room where it's a nice coffee color. Lighting is tricky.

My painter will be doing 2 coats and swears that it is just an optical illusion. What do you think?

I had this happen to me when I painted my LR. One wall was primed and the rest was a cream color. The difference was like I had 2 different colors! I got advice from the paint forum before I went further and I then primed the other walls and I am glad I did!

This is classic Josef Albers!

Here is a plate from Albers' Interaction of Color.

From the book:

"It is almost unbelievable that the upper small and the lower small squares are part of the same paper strip and therefore are the same color.

And no normal human eye is able to see both squares - alike."

jamaraz - definitely an optical illusion.

Color is always seen as compared to its surroundings, not in isolation. Don't judge it until you have the whole room painted with at least one coat.

and less natural light it looks like a very deep brown. The entire wall has not been painted yet but it is a pretty distinct difference.

If he's using good quality BenM paint, after two coats the color will balance out - after one full coat over the B. Pear you will see more balance towards the color of the paint chip/sample.

Two coats is going to equalize the color from room to room, but you are still going to have the issue of light. LT is not going to look the *same* in both of those rooms because one has less natural light. At night, eh, it will depend on what else is going on in the room and the individual lighting plans for each room. It's not unusual for the colors to look more alike at night with artificial lighting than during the day and influence of natural lighting.

As long as you know to expect a reasonable balance of LT room to room and not exact *match* and identical, you'll be fine when it's finished.

Changing the plan now, changing to another neutralized color, isn't going to solve anything because it too will be influenced by the current, differing wall colors and light.

Yes on optical illusion. I currently have one going on in side by side paint samples I've painted on the same wall. My husband could not believe that the medium tone swatch painted on top of a lighter color was the same as the medium tone swatch painted on top of a darker color. But it is...same can, painted within minutes of each other.

Thanks everyone. It actually makes a lot of sense. I know there will be some variation - it is actually why I am picking the same color. I was looking for a color to blend well with Lenox Tan and I decided it would blend well with itself!

Funcolors and Amysrq, you guys seem to have a great handle on colors. Is this optical illusion why I am having so much trouble picking a green to go over my current yellow kitchen walls? I have another thread (don't know how to link) that starts off Green or Brown? You decide!! I am trying to find a green for my kitchen but nothing is showing up right on my walls. I am picking browns with a green undertone but they are coming off as light green. When I put the colors on a white wall they are much truer to the chip. I have a lot of high hats in my kitchen and I know that compact flourescents cast a green light as well. What would you suggest I do? I really wanted a green kitchen but the brown is looking more right in the space. Any suggestions would be appreciated.