Context is everything with regard to color. How a color reads in the context of a fandeck or a paint chips (big or small) isn't necessarily going to hold true in the context of a three-dimensional room. And vice versa. Each analysis or "read on the color" can be correct. Depends on the kind of discussion you want to have about color and what your end goal happens to be. With that said, it's important to evaluate any color in which you have an interest in various contexts (in the room in general, near the sofa, butted up against the trim, etc.) and lighting exposures (on a window wall, in a corner, up by the ceiling, down low by the floor). It's through this process that undertones will reveal themselves. There are two kinds of undertones - in situ and inherent. Alleged undertones you are able to detect on a paint chip can literally disappear into thin air once in a room. Color experts consider a few key things when choosing wall colors. Context is right up there with primary light exposure, function, expectations and tolerances. Making assumptions about paint color based on just a chip can sometimes narrow the field of color choices down to slim and none. And just because XYZ beige turned out pinky beige in one house does not mean it will look the least bit pink in your house. Collecting input and comparable results with paint colors is not a bad thing -- can be good to get other people's read and opinions on certain colors. Editing that info is just as important as collecting it.

bronswynsmom,you really made me chuckle. Well, I'll refine it to I don't have courage when it comes to color. I've dealt with all the items you mention and more. Come to think of it, I once had all the windows in our living room taken out and made larger when DH was on a 3-day business trip. He survived that, but painting oak would put him on the floor. Maybe I don't have imagination with color. Whatever it is, you guys have it, and I appreciate it. The clear shower curtain doesn't work, huh? Dang! avesmor, thanks for the photos of Raffia Basket. It looks lovely on your walls. I tried to calibrate my monitor but it doesn't seem to be working. Maybe I'll get a can of something more dramatic too and surprise DH when he gets home tomorrow. Thanks so much, both of you.

the back is just the white PVC. Sides also don't matter. Apparently NuCedar has to go underneath the trim, or is mitered at corners, so you never see any sides. I read somewhere someone complaining about that, saying that is like vinyl siding and it looks worse rather than butting up against trim. .However, NuCedar has PVC pieces you clip in place on the side the trim so that it does look like the siding is butting up against the trim. I love cedar. I live on Cape Cod and cedar is the siding of choice around here. But it is high maintenance, and I do not want to maintain my siding and trim. Cedar should be washed and stained or sealed every 3 - 5 years! No way. Not doing that.

Comedy of errors (only after we had a few drinks was it comedic) 1. We greatly underestimated the effort to paint textured walls, especially on the ceiling. That and we're 15 years older than many of the projects we've done the past. 2. Turns out we got the wrong color paint. I'm not sure why I had a different color paint stuck in my head and even though I checked color swatches I still got it wrong. And now that we're going to pay someone to do it I definitely want to make sure the color is right. Only after I came back to this post did I realize I gave the store the wrong color. We're going to suck it up and pay someone to do it which is good because that also includes trim and doors. Although now I have to take a week off of work. Good news: we can donate the paint to Habitat for Humanity ReStore.