Are you a good customer there (big spender)? The purpose of those testers is to make you think it's cheaper to buy several until you find the shade you want.

Sherwin Williams can color match in the tester size; actually, they are the ONLY one that I know of that will (Lowes, HD, Ben Moore can't). They have a huge range of competitors colors already in their computer, so you may not even need the Behr paint chip, just the name and number. I have found a few of their lighter colored matches aren't exactly correct, but it's very subtle and I only noticed because I had the original paint from BM and could see the difference on the wall side by side (on the chip it looked the same).

I'm not sure about tinting an existing sample darker since the shades often have different pigments, not just increased quantity of the same. Accuracy would also probably depend on how much paint you had used out of the container.

marti--this was my first time in that particular SW store. I go to one closer to my house that seems to deal more "to the trade" and they don't have the tester qts. Not sure why my spending habits are important here?

Usually, I can pick the color I want right off the tiniest chip--I've never bought samples before, but I'm having a tough time finding *any* color I like for my entry/hall/stairs/upstairs hall. The chips look completely different on every wall.

I bought 2 small BM testers as well, but their selection is severely limited in the color I'm looking for--a light/medium toned slightly bluish grey.

equst--Thanks for the info--I will take my Behr chip in with me. I've been dancing around that issue by finding all the BM and SW chips that are "close" to the Behr, and it's just not working. I'm thinking if I tinted the color sample I have darker, I still won't like it..

namabafo-
Getting paint color is so hard, isn't it? Why don't you get a tester quart of Behr from Home Depot? If you are sure you want the Behr paint color, just buy Behr paint. We have always been happy with the quality of Behr paint. An added bonus is that HD has recently dropped the prices on the Behr paint!

carol--I used Behr almost exclusively in my last house. I really liked how easy it was to work with. My problem was with the sheen. It seems to be glossier in a Satin when compared to other brands. I'm not a fan of flat paints for cleaning purposes...

I'm not the hugest fan of SW, either, but the store is really close to my house... :)

SW can make the same color darker but it won't be the next darker one on the chip just a darker version of the color that you got. Does that make sense?

SW has mixed a fair amt. of BM colors for me in their testers.

in the tester quart which is really not the same type of paint that they sell in even their lesser quality paint I think it depends on who is doing the mixing
the guys at the SW store I have gone to trying to find paint the past week or so look like they are about 18 and not the most helpful
if you buy a quart of the paint color you want that is NOT a tester--it is more expensive but more like the quality of paint you might actually put on the wall--
so I think the quality of paint for tester quarts which is like $5 vs 13 for normal "cheap" qt may not be the same...
but my painter uses SW so I am trying to find a shade they mix vs getting BM done by them or something like a Martha Stewart shade

Behr carries an eggshell sheen which is less shiny than the satin. Hope this helps... Carol

Lowe's does color matching in test sizes. I had a few done for myself a while ago. It's a teensy can but only $3 or so. SW did have BOGO coupon online for samples at one point, but not sure if it is still available.

bedelia--I didn't know about Lowe's samples...that may be what I need..

update:

I went back to SW, they were able to tint the sample to the next deeper shade--they can do that only on certain colors, depending on the color formula--this one just had more of the two tints that made up the lighter color. It's still not "the one". :(

I also had her match my other chip, which is actually a Valspar shade, not Behr. It is *almost* it. :/ I happened to be at Lowe's later in the day and my eye immediately went to the same chip. it's called Shark Loop

Then I saw the card next to it. I think I may have found my color! Valspar Lighthouse Shadows.

Does anyone have any comments on Valspar paint quality? v. SW?? Lowe's and SW are literally right next to each other about 4 miles from my house (SW being about 1/4 mile closer! LOL)

I'm a BM girl, but the store is not as close as Lowes and SW. I used both SW and Valspar. I don't care for SW so much since the satin is still too glossy for me and shows overlap marks (that's another issue by itself). I used Valspar's Waverly line and it went on much nicer, and looks great. I've seen ratings where it is rated up there.

You might check out the painting forum for suggestions. Good luck.