Why You Need Color Samples Before Purchasing Your Product | PureModern

Have you ever ordered a product from one of your vendors with anticipation, only to be disappointed when the product arrives because the color is completely different than you thought it would be?

Ordering the right color for your project is more complicated than it may seem. After all, most online retailers are not trying to trick their customers. Instead, many consumers are falling victim to Monitor Color Display Difference.

We understand how important receiving the right color is and are committed to meeting your expectations, the first time. We ensure this by first providing a wide array of colors and materials for our planters, fire pits, and containers, and second, by offering free* color samples for you to order before purchasing a product.

Read this article to learn about the nuances of color and why it is important to get color samples before ordering a product. Once you understand these concepts, you will never fall victim to Monitor Color Display Difference.

The Way Our Brains Decipher Color

First, it is important to remember that color is light. The brain and the eyes work together to turn light into a perceived color. Remember Newton’s observation that the surfaces of objects reflect some colors and absorb all the other colors? This is called Newton’s theory of light, and it means the color you see is simply light that is reflected by the object.

However, it is not just reflected light that helps you see color. Typically, your brain adjusts the perceived color based on background information (i.e., the setting the color is in, quality of light, etc.). But when you are viewing a color on a screen, your brain does not have the necessary background information for you to see the color correctly.

How Light Affects Color

All light has a color quality to it depending on placement and time of day. Light affects color in a couple of different ways.

First, the type of light will contribute either a cool cast (think a shady corner of a building or underneath a large tree) or a warm cast (think those last hours before sunset) to an image. Indoor lights can be labeled “cool” or “warm” according to preference, and fluorescent lighting is infamous for its ghastly blue tones (though you can now buy warm fluorescent lights).

If you have ever taken on a house project or remodel, you can probably relate. The paint swatch that seemed perfectly greige in the store can suddenly look quite pink once painted on a south-facing wall and is under the glow of a gorgeous sunset.

Second, any other surrounding objects that are not neutral (e.g., a blue pool or a red adobe wall) will modify the color of the object in question. It is important to remember that all light casts color. And the environment plays a key role in our overall perception of color.

Finally, the quality of light will affect the overall color of an object. Harsh, high noon light will have a very different viewing effect than soft, morning light or indoor, artificial light. This is why a purple that looks eggplant mid-day may look electric purple in the early morning or plum when placed in the shade. 

Why It Is Hard to Order the Right Color Online

One caveat of this convenient new world of online ordering is that what a product looks like online and what it looks like in person is not always the same thing. This is especially true for colors and finishes such as metallics, glossy vs. matte, and brushed vs. polished stainless steel. Color and texture do not translate well on screen.

Peruse online reviews for almost any home décor object, and it does not take long to see a common theme: The colors that arrive in person are not always the same as were portrayed online. Unlike printed catalogs, online companies have no control over the visual output of your computer monitor or digital device display. This is what we call Monitor Color Display Difference and is why companies have little control over the final visual product you see on your screen.

In nature and day-to-day life, our eyes are amazing natural calibrators. They can immediately determine a true white or neutral, and then adjust everything else in one’s view accordingly. Computer screens are also able to do this, but they often require expensive calibrators to recognize a true neutral.

Unless you are a photographer or graphic designer, more than likely, your computer/screen has not been calibrated. Uncalibrated, a screen may skew more magenta or cyan (greenish-blue color) depending on default computer settings, age of screen, etc. (If you would like to calibrate your screen, click here, to find a variety of options.)

The Importance of Color Samples

Now that you understand the way colors change based on light and how your computer screen affects perceived color, it is easy to see why purchasing a product online is so difficult. This is why we work hard to make sure that you know exactly what color you are purchasing by offering free color samples for our planters and fire pits.

Think again about paint swatches in a store. Would you paint a room on a whim, or do you bring home a few swatches (or sample cans) to test them out in different areas of the room at different times of the day? It is this reasoning that compels interior designers to consider any number of paint, carpet, or tile swatches in the light/room in which it will be viewed rather than just accepting what they see on the showroom floor.

Finally, we would be remiss to spend all of this time on color and not mention an additional important component of a well-executed design – texture. Texture is a subtle beauty that does not transfer well to online catalogs. The nuance and shift in a smooth vs. slightly pebbled texture can be essential in an overall scheme. For this reason, our Modern Elite Planters and concrete fire pits come in a variety of texture options that are best experienced in person.

Free PureModern Color Samples

We understand the dilemma ordering online can create, and we work to make your experience as seamless as possible. PureModern designed their samples to alleviate headaches before they happen.

We design and manufacture free*, accurate color/product material samples for both our Modern Elite metal planters and concrete fire pits so that you can see the color and texture of our products before making a purchase. We also provide free color samples for our PurePots line. These color samples are on heavy plastic. This plastic emulates the surface of fiberglass so that you can get an accurate idea of how the color will look on the fiberglass planters you order. We value consistency, quality, and satisfied customers, and we go the extra mile to ensure consistent results.

When you order PureModern’s free samples*, you can see the color and texture**, and placing the samples in the right lighting will allow you to determine, with confidence, the correct option for you and your client. 

Receiving the right products the first time saves time and money. Sharing your clear vision with your client using our color samples makes hiccups or delays less likely, leading to a happy, satisfied client. Take advantage of our offer for free samples, and experience the freedom that comes from ordering with confidence.

Click here to order your free* color samples. 

*Planter color samples are complimentary. Fire pit swatches require a down payment that is credited upon return.

** Only our Modern Elite Planter and concrete fire pit color samples come in the same product color and texture. Our PurePots color samples come on a heavy plastic that emulates the texture of fiberglass.