What’s Your Color IQ? A Fun Pantone Paint Color Quiz
By Kylie
November 22, 2024
How Well Do You See Color?
I was browsing through Facebook the other day and came across a post about a Colour IQ Test, so of course, I had to take it. I scored 0, which, unlike the other types of IQ tests I’ve taken, bodes well for my ego.
How long does it take? Just a few minutes.
What’s the point?
You’ll discover how well you see undertones. They (whoever ‘they’ are) state that ‘1 out of 12 men have some sort of color deficiency’, and I have to agree with them. I’m amazed at the number of times I’ve been to a client’s house and said to the main man, ‘What do you think?‘ and he says, ‘Don’t bother asking me; I’m color blind.‘ Enough said.
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I only wish this test included details on what it meant if you were ‘within a certain range of numbers’. So, just so you have some guidelines on which to base your number, here’s how I classify things…
0-10 Color Genius
11-30 I may not hire you to help me pick colors, but I still like you
31-50 One of your eyes might be slightly crossed from the other (which I can make fun of as I was born this way)
51-70 Are your socks even matching?
70+ Would you like a straw and funnel with that wine bottle?
Like Tim (my hubby), this is just for eye candy…
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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!
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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2016, UPDATED IN 2024
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Meet Kylie
Do you need help, but aren’t quite sure what ‘help’ looks like? Are you drowning in paint samples and decision fatigue?
Does every color you like at the paint store look terrible in your lighting or pick up a funky undertone? I’d love to help.
Hi, I’m Kylie
For over 24 years I’ve helped 12,000+ homeowners and renters make more confident decisions on paint colors and affordable home updates using real home examples and practical, experience-based advice. My goal is simple: help you love the home you have.
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Homeowner’s Guide: White Kitchen Cabinets
This isn’t another ’10 Best Cabinet Colors’ list, because there is no SINGLE best white for every home and every kitchen.
Learn how to choose a white cabinet paint color that works with your countertops, backsplash, flooring, trim, lighting, and home—so you can rule out the wrong whites, sample fewer colors, and choose with confidence.
158-page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95Accent Colors – And How to Use Them
This isn’t about plastering your home in the ‘Color of the Year’ or following the latest trends (unless you really want to).
It’s about finding accent colors that work with YOUR home, YOUR style, and YOUR comfort level.
Because the best accent color isn’t one you love on a paint chip, it’s one that makes everything around it look better.
118-Page PDF – Instant Download
$34.95
Homeowner’s Guide: Exterior Paint Colors
Painting your home’s exterior is a BIG investment and choosing a color based on a tiny paint chip, a trend or the house down the street can be an expensive mistake.
Learn how to look at YOUR roof, YOUR windows, YOUR brick (or stone) and YOUR home as a whole so you can understand what colors make sense.
The goal? Less guessing, fewer samples and a lot more confidence before gallons of paint go on your home.
206-page PDF – Digital Download
$44.95Exterior Trim Paint Colors
This isn’t a list of ‘the best trim colors’, although you’ll get a ton of links to great shades!
You’ll learn how to look at your home and understand whether it needs contrast, repetition, connection, or a little visual peacekeeping to pull it all together.
Because trim might seem like a small detail…but spread it around all four sides of your home on multiple surfaces and it suddenly has a pretty big job.
118-page PDF – Instant Download
$24.95
Comments
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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 😉
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Well, maybe like you just a little less…hehe, just joking!
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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…
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Oh you are terrible! And there are days when I DO need an assistant, are you saying that Ava is available 😉
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I got a “0”. How is that possible when I’m so unsure about picking paint colours? Lol
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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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Wahoo, look at you – you’re pro!
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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-
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 :).
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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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WELL DONE, and thank you :).
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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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Just because I can see it, doesn’t mean I can pick it! I scored a 0 but still desperately need your blog and advice to bring my color choices to LIFE! There’s a lot more to it than just “seeing” color (insert wine and corn nuts).
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This was fun – I scored 0. May have to come out of retirement to be your assistant!
Thanks for all your great posts. The series on updating your xxxx home was game changing for choosing new paint colours. The concept of letting the finishes decide the colour direction is genius.-
It is fun, isn’t it??!!! And I’m glad you foudn that series helpful, those types of series are SO fun to write!
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0️⃣😮🥳🙌
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Wow. I got a 2. A couple of the colors were really tricky in the first two rows. I’d move a couple of them around and it seemed like they were either way off or behaved like a chameleon taking on the color next to it. That was kind of fun!
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I scored a 4! I’m better than I thought…lol
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I got a 4. I wish I knew which ones I messed up on. I think I know but not completely sure.
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I have always been very fussy about colors matching, coordinating. my husband laughed when I got a zero. he is color blind!
thanks! this was fun! -
I’m so happy to have scored a 0! It is still difficult to pick a color I want to live with for the next 10 years. So grateful for all I’ve learned from Kylie!
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I scored a zero and very excited because I just changed out my lightbulbs to daylight to help me see better! I guess it has worked!
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I nailed it with a score of 4!!! It was fun to do.
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I scored a 2! Helps explain why I drive people at the paint counter crazy when I enter what I affectionately call “color matching hell.” LOL I can’t tell you how many times paint counter people told me it was an exact match, when to me the difference was glaringly obvious.
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I scored a 0. That quiz was really fun!! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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Zero! Now I know why undertones bothers me but my husband claims “it all looks fine.” I can SEE it but still don’t know what to do about it. I may need to hire you again, this time for a bathroom with a wacky tile I can’t remove. xoxo
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Be interesting to see how the hubby does on this test!
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I scored a 2!!
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I had a six but in my defense it was cloudy and DARK here when I took the test. (EXCUSES! EXCUSES!) Everything I know I learned from you!
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I forgive you – plus the differences are quite tiny!
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