SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK PAINT COLOR SAMPLES: A REAL REVIEW

HOW TO SAMPLE PAINT, SAVE MONEY, & HAVE FUN WHILE YOU DO IT!

Are you tired of sampling paint the old-fashioned way? Do you have a patchwork of paint colours on your walls and a pyramid of 3/4 empty sample pots on your dining table? I get it. While I spend most of my days helping YOU choose the best paint colors for YOUR home, I also spend a lot of time sampling colors for my own home, and it can be EXHAUSTING. I mean, nothing a glass or five two of wine can’t help with, but still.

WHAT EXACTLY IS SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK?

Samplize offers PEEL & STICK paint samples that you slap RIGHT ON YOUR WALL – no brush, no roller, no mess, no stress. Okay, I can’t guarantee the stress part (insert deep breathing exercises HERE). However, between my blog posts and these samples…

Your paint-pickin’ life just got a whooooole lot easier, and maybe even a little bit FUN!  

WHAT BRANDS DOES SAMPLIZE CARRY?

SAMPLIZE has partnered with today’s top paint brands, including Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, Farrow & Ball & PPG. Oh, yeah, and they save you MONEY while you’re doing it. Is SAMPLIZE legit? Oooooh, yeah. If the above brands and I partnered with them, I’d say they’re pretty badass (I don’t even have a partnership with BM and SW – just SAMPLIZE).

And guess what? YOU DON’T EVEN NEED TO PUT PANTS ON TO GET YOUR SAMPLES! That’s right, FRONT DOOR DELIVERY!

ARE SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK ACCURATE?

Yes. 100% accurate and true to color. SAMPLIZE uses real paint from each manufacturer, giving you the EXACT color you’re looking for – two coats of it. In fact, SAMPLIZE samples are more accurate than what you see in the fan deck/paper chip samples in the store.

WHAT FINISH ARE SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK?

Samplize colors are painted with an eggshell finish, making them applicable to most projects. As the late great Goldilocks once said, ‘…it’s juuuuuuust right’.

Eggshell is definitely the most popular paint finish. However, if you like to paint your walls in matte, you know that’s just a wee shift down from eggshell. On the other hand, if you like your cabinets or trim to be satin/pearl, you know there will be a touch more sheen!

WHAT ARE THE PROS & CONS OF SAMPLIZE?

Let’s start with the pros…

THE COST

SAMPLIZE samples cost $5.95. That’s it. And shipping is FREE with a $15+ order.

On the other hand, the average sample pot is $9.99 to $13.99. Add in a roller/tray/canvas, and you’re at approx $15 per sample, plus your blood, sweat and many, many tears.

IT’S MESS-FREE

Sure, you have some paper backing to recycle – big whoop. No more sloppy paint pots, dripping rollers, or walls that look like they’ve been in a paintball war.

IT’S EASY – FRONT-DOOR DELIVERY

You don’t even have to leave your home – SAMPLIZE delivers to your front door, sometimes within ONE BUSINESS day (location dependent*).

*Unless you’re in Canada, like me, in which case it can take a bit more time. But if you aren’t in a hurry, it’s WELL worth it. All the same, I’ve never waited more than five business days. 

IT’S MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

You don’t need to be a tree-hugger to know that sampling paint the traditional way isn’t exactly ‘earth-friendly’. I did this for years and still have the pyramid of cans in my garage to prove it (most of them are still 3/4 full of unused paint).

As for the CONS, to be honest, there aren’t many, but I do have two…

FINISH CHOICE

Don’t get me wrong; I love that their samples are in an eggshell finish; it applies to most projects. However, when doing my Color Consulting, I would LOOOVE to order samples in cabinet finish (satin/pearl). However, I realize I am the exception, not the rule.

ABILITY TO RE-USE SAMPLES

You CAN’T put your SAMPLIZE sample on its backing again. Or you can, but it’s painstakingly hard. Once you peel that bad boy off, you’re committed. However, let me tell you what to do (I’m a bossy lil thing)…

1. Start with 6-8 paint samples of colors that are ‘similar’ to each other (COMPARISON is KEY when sampling paint!).

2. Keep all peel & stick samples on their paper backing, and use a little piece of tape to stick them up (seems silly, I know, but humour me).

3. Once you’ve narrowed it down to your fave two or three, THEN take the backing off these samples only. This way, you can pass along/save/use for crafts the samples that still have their backing.

Is SAMPLIZE legit?

You bet your booty it is. When it comes to helping you choose the BEST paint color for your home, SAMPLIZE is as legit as it gets (other than me, I’m a pretty legit colour-picking tool too).

HOW DO YOU USE SAMPLIZE PEEL AND STICK?

The tips below will help you choose the BEST paint color for your walls, cabinets, trim or exterior.

1. TAPE UP WHITE PAPER AROUND YOUR SAMPLE

Your old paint colour will 100% influence your perception of the NEW paint color. A bit of white around the edges helps to create a more neutral base to judge your samples.

2. MOVE IT ONTO DIFFERENT WALLS & VIEW IT IN DIFFERENT LIGHTING

One of the most IMPORTANT tips when sampling paint and picking your room’s BEST color, is to MOVE your sample around – different walls, lighting, day/nite. Another great thing about SAMPLIZE is that you can move it dozens of times. I tested a sample to see HOW MANY TIMES I could move it (with the backing OFF), and I literally could’ve gone on and on (kind of like when I’m talking).

3. PEEL IT OFF WITH TWO HANDS

I’m showing you this first photo as my hair looks GREAT, and to ALSO show you how NOT to take SAMPLIZE off the wall.

If you want to move your sample to different walls with no muss no fuss, the two-handed approach (also helpful when drinking wine) makes for an easier, wrinkle-free transition (I wonder if they would make SAMPLIZE for my face)…

4. POUR A GLASS OF WINE

That’s right. Picking paint colours is WAY easier when you have a bottle and a funnel of wine glass of wine by your side (as mentioned earlier, it’s one of my four favourite topics). Because not only does WINE make sampling paint more fun – SAMPLIZE makes sampling paint more fun!

WHERE SHOULD YOU PUT YOUR PEEL AND STICK PAINT SAMPLES?

• directly beside your trim (either painted or wood)
• on the wall behind the main furniture pieces
• next to finishes like fireplace stone and backsplash tile

HOW NOT TO SAMPLE YOUR COLORS

• paint samples floating in the middle of the wall don’t work; your color needs something to be bumped up with or visually connected to (re: my previous bulleted list)

This next photo shows the RIGHT SAMPLES, but the wrong sampling technique.

• there’s no white paper around the samples to separate them – yup, you even need to separate them from drywall!
• they aren’t being RELATED to anything – trim, countertop – surely, they’ve picked out SOME product they could compare them to!

BTW, if you’re wondering how legit this review is, I want you to think – when was the last time you saw me promote a product? #hardlyever. Sure, I talk incessantly about Benjamin Moore, Ryan Reynolds, Sherwin Williams, and wine, but Lord knows they don’t pay me anything to do that – I pay myself in wine, Doritos and personal high-fives (true).

If I’m here to put MY NAME behind a product, it means I really believe in it – for you AND for me.

So while I benefit financially from this partnership with SAMPLIZE, I could partner with MANY…many other brands and have had the opportunity to do so. But I haven’t (with very few exceptions). End of story.

WHY DO I LOVE SAMPLIZE PEEL & STICK SO MUCH?

My job as a Paint Color Expert and blogger is to make YOUR life easier when it comes to picking paint and decorating your home – in fact; I’ve written a few hundred (almost 500) articles on these topics.

I’m not messin’ around and will NEVER buy another sample pot again*. SAMPLIZE IS A GAME-CHANGER. It’s lit my lil color-lovin’ world on FIRE. And if I think it’s awesome, I know you will too.

*FULL DISCLOSURE, the only time I’ll buy a sample pot is when I need to see a paint color lightened or darkened by a certain percentage – in other words, not very often. 

And I bet you have MORE questions about this product – in which case, they have a great FAQ page for you to check out.

READ MORE

The 12 Best Whole Home Gray and Greige Paint Colors

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing White Paint Colors

How to Sample Paint Colors the RIGHT WAY

The 8 Best Whole Home Warm Neutral Paint Colors

The 8 Best White Paint Colors from Benjamin Moore

The 5 Best Off-White Paint Colors

North, East, South, West – Which Paint Color is the Best For YOUR Room’s Exposure?

Not sure which paint colours to order?

Check out my E-Books and Online Paint Colour Consulting – I’d love to help!