A common mistake with 2026 paint colors is skipping large test swatches at eye level and under your actual home lighting. This leads to surprising color shifts or unintended moods. To avoid this, paint sizable samples on multiple walls and observe them at different times of day. Also, picking colors too cool or bright instead of one step warmer and muddier than expected yields livelier, more versatile results. Testing first saves time and enhances your satisfaction.