Help Selecting Colors
Important information about monitors
Our color charts are created on calibrated monitors so they are accurate, however, they may not look accurate on your computer due to your personal settings or simply the settings that the manufacturer has set by default. Even the lighting of the room you’re viewing the charts in can alter the color.
For these reasons we recommend that you look at our color charts on either an iPad or iPhone or any of the better tablets or Smartphones that have retina display technology or similar, before you make your selection. They are the most accurate. Our color charts generally do not look accurate on laptops.
If you do happen to have a iPhone or iPad but want to see accurate color on your desktop or laptop computer, you can always set the RGB (red, green, blue) and brightness settings on your monitor to match the color on these devices. Just set them side-by-side and make the adjustments so that the desktop monitor matches what you see on the iPhone or iPad.
General Info
We have hundreds of colors to choose from and all of them work equally well on both leather and vinyl regardless of whether the item is a sofa, an auto seat or a purse. The only difference between them is that the Auto colors are formulated for specific makes and models.
All of our colors will work on any flexible leather or vinyl item. Our products are not recommended for hard plastic. You can even create your own custom color by intermixing any of the Color Flex colors, regardless if it’s a Standard color or an Auto color. If the color you order is close but not exact, you can always lightly blend it into the surrounding area. This is time-tested painter’s trick.
Standard Colors
Our Standard Colors are a collection of colors formulated to match many popular furniture colors as well as most common leather and vinyl items. From neutral colors to the very bold. When selecting your color we recommend that you first look for the shade group that might match your color, then base your final selection on the color description rather than what the sample swatch looks like on your monitor. Click on the + and you’ll see a larger sample of the color and a description.
Automotive Colors
The easiest way to choose your color is by using our “Automotive” color charts.
The model and year information provided is based on information that we are able to gather from various sources, however that information is not always 100% accurate and we make no guarantee that it is.
Actual color may vary due to dye lot differences and the age of your vehicle.
We have hundreds of colors, but we do not have every color ever made. So, if it’s not on a color chart, then we don’t have it.
The majority of automotive colors that we offer are formulated to the match the seats. If a color is for a specific part like the dash, that information will be indicated on the color swatch by the word “trim”. Typically the names of the colors on our color chart will be the same or close to the manufacture’s name. If we have the actual manufacturer’s trim code, it will be listed under the color name. In most cases, automotive colors are not interchangeable between manufacturers because they are so specific. In other words, a Ford color most likely will not match a GM color etc.
Easy ways to find the color of your auto interior
Your local dealer – The easiest and most accurate
Call the parts department and give them your VIN number and tell them that you’d like to know the color name of your interior. Be sure to let them know what part that you’re trying to match (seat, door panel etc.) because quite often there are two or more variations of the color used in the interior.
On the home page top menu, “Research” then enter your “make, model and year” then click “search”.
Look for “Key specs of the base trim – Compare trims
Look for your “trim” then click on “See full specs”, then “Colors”.
On the home page click on “Used Cars”. Then scroll down that page until you see the box “Research Cars”. Enter your information. On the next page, select your year from the drop down menu. The page will transfer to the models page. Select your model then select your model, then look for the drop down menu on the right hand side of the page and select your year, then choose “Colors” located in the small menu just below the photo of the vehicle.
* These sites change all the time so the process may change but typically if you look for the “research” link, you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Leather or Vinyl Sheen
- Matte = Dull or flat finish, no sheen
- Low Luster = A cross between Matte and Satin (the standard used in our Color Flex and found most often on leather furniture and autos)
- Satin = Slight sheen
- High Gloss = Very shiny, a wet look
If your item has either a matte or high gloss finish, you’ll need to apply a top coat of our Clear Coat to achieve the correct sheen. Clear Top Coat and examples can be found on our Clear Coat page.
Seeing Accurate Color on Your Monitor…techie stuff but this really helps
Monitor Settings
One of the biggest problems on the Internet is seeing what the web site designer wants you to see. Especially when it comes to color.
PC video cards and monitors are usually shipped with a white point set to 9300°K. This gives a bluish tint to everything. Luckily the gamma on newer monitors is generally set at 2.2 , which today, is the Internet standard. Both of these settings can dramatically change how you see our colors on your monitor.
Monitor temperature 6500°K. (daylight). Below this and your colors will be too red or yellow. Above will be too blue. Gamma 2.2 (yours is most likely set to this already)
If you aren’t familiar with your monitor settings, it’s best to get out the ol’ manual. The controls are normally somewhere on the front or side of your monitor. The temperature setting is normally with the “color” settings (Red- Green-Blue).
Before you make any adjustments to your monitor
Be sure to jot down your original settings before you make any adjustments. That way if you don’t like the “optimal” settings you can set them back to what they were. Just remember that you won’t see our colors as they are meant to be seen without making these adjustments to your monitor.
Adjusting the color
Adjust your monitor so they look like the colors of M&M’s candy.
You might want to buy a bag for exact comparison…you can eat them when you’re done. ?
Adjusting the Brightness
This is the optimal setting:
Just Right
You should ONLY JUST be able to perceive the top bar as bands rather than an all black strip.
The bottom comprises 21 steps of neutral grey in 5% steps from 0% black to 100% white.
Too Bright
If image looks like this and you can easily see the dark and medium boxes in the top bar, then your monitor is set too bright.
Solution: Set the brightness darker.
Too Dark
If image looks like this and you can only see solid black in the top bar, then your monitor is set too dark.
Solution: Set the brightness darker.
