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What is Your Colour IQ?

Posted on October 20, 2020 by KylieMawdsley

How Well Do You See Colour?

I was browsing through Facebook the other day and I came across a post about a Colour IQ Test, so of course, I had to take it. I scored 3, which unlike the other type of IQ tests I’ve taken, bodes well for my ego.

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray. Popular warm gray and off-white paint colour. Gray wash laminate wood flooring and white trim. Kylie M Interiors E-Design, online paint colour advice and blogger

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Do you see any undertones in the above paint colour?

How long does it take? About 10 minutes.

What’s the point? You will discover how well you see undertones and to what degree (if any) you are colour blind! They state that ‘1 out of 12 men have some sort of colour deficiency’ and I have to agree with them. I’m amazed at the number of times I’ve been to a clients house and say to the main man, ‘What do you think?‘ and he says ‘Don’t bother asking me, I’m colour blind.‘ Enough said. In fact, this may explain why my Tim loves wearing his salmon coloured shorts even though his friends all make fun of him – he probably thinks they are green!

Small bathroom powder room, wainscoting, beadboard, Pure White, Sherwin Williams Light French Gray, budget-friendly makeover (2)

The only thing I wish this test included was some detail on what it meant if you were ‘within a certain range of numbers’. So, just so you have some guidelines to base your own number on, here’s how I classify things…

0-10          Colour Genius

11-30        I may not hire you to help me pick colours, but I still like you

31-50        One of your eyes might be slightly crossed from the other

51-70        Are your socks even matching?

70+           Would you like a straw with that wine bottle?

So, all of that being said, let’s get on to the test – I’d love to hear about your results and they BETTER not be better than mine!

Pantone Colour IQ Test

Happy decorating and good luck matching your socks!

Kylie M Interiors Edecor and Edesign

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Comments

  1. Hey, perfect classification Kylie….we both know you would never hire me to pick colours and I think you DO like me! I was a 12. I really wanted to be a 2 😉

      1. Ohh, snooty mcsnooterson! I won’t look down on you with my score of 0. Guess I should be considering a job change! With my eye for color I will be tough competition! 😉 unless you need an assistant that is…

  2. I scored zero first time. I knew I’d do well, but not that well! Still, I look to you for color advice time and time again. I’ve enjoyed your website very much. Now that I’m retired, I’ve thought of doing something with color design or staging. I do enjoy helping others pick their paint colors. This test gave me a confidence boost!

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  3. I knew NOTHING about colors until I started reading your blogs durning the pandemic. I just scored a 4 on the test! And I always rely on your wisdom to pick colors for my home. Interesting, the area I show some confusion is between blue and green- which explains the huge difficulty I’m having picking out a gray to complement the undertones in the exterior features of my house (roof, deck, patio). Thanks for all your work 🙂
    Joan

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      Thank you so much for commenting, Joan! I know, some people do have trouble with only CERTAIN colours, but totally get others! I do find that OFTEN, exteriors suit a subtle violet undertone vs blue-green. I mean, it absolutely depends on the roof and any stonework, but I’d say more often than not ;). Take a look at colours like SW Knitting Needles, SW Requisite Gray, BM Smoke Embers, just to get started :).

  4. Scored a 2, which proves why I find undertones & pigments fascinating, help others choose paint colors AND appreciate YOU so much Kylie! ♥️

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  5. I scored 2. Yet, I’ve made many mistakes choosing paint colors. So, I think I can see color differences in context, but cannot choose colors in isolation. Akin to possessing a skill but not being able to apply it? Could be cultivated with more experience??

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