Everything You Need to Know About Light Reflectance Value

Have you ever painstakingly chosen a color to paint your Boulder, CO, house, only to be disappointed at how dark it was or how washed out it looked? The culprit is the color’s light reflectance value (LRV) that is disclosed on the color swatch or on the color details if you’re looking at it online. When you choose a new paint color, you need to understand the LRV and how it will interact with the natural and artificial lighting of that room.

At Jacobsen Brothers Painting, we can help you choose the LRV that makes you sing. But first, let’s look closer at how to make LRV work for you and not against you.

Let there be light

When first understanding LRV, you need to know that it measures the light that is reflected by a color of paint. The color you see is actually the color of the light reflecting off the paint rather than the paint itself. That’s why the LRV is so critical when choosing the right color for your space. Too low and the color will be flat and dull. Too high and the light will be too bright and diminish the color.

LRV uses a scale of 0 to 100. If you have a color close to 0 on the LRV scale, it would be black. If you have a color close to 100, it would be bright white. A photography darkroom would need close to a 0 LRV while an operating room might want closer to 100 LRV.

Don’t forget the source

Before deciding on the range of LRV that you want for a room, consider the natural light that it receives all day long. Is it dim most of the time? Is it bright and does it have a lot of windows?

Then, consider the purpose of the room. If you want a bright, cheery room to start your day, but it is on the west side of the house, you would want to choose a color with a higher LRV and look at adding artificial lighting. If you want a cozy, relaxing room with a deeply saturated color, you might want to limit your lighting and choose a lower LRV.

Add or take away light

You may need to adjust the amount of light the room is receiving in order to get the color you really want for that space. If you have a dark room and you are trying to lighten it, choosing a high LRV isn’t going to be enough. Yes, it will look brighter, but it would be better if you paired the LRV with additional lighting or open up the windows with a lighter window treatment.

Why Choose Jacobsen Brothers

The professionals at Jacobsen Brothers Painting have been expertly choosing colors with optimal LRV for rooms in Denver for over 65 years. But don’t take our word for it. Check out what Arnie and Vicky have to say.



Get your free estimate today!

Ready to get started choosing a color with the right light reflectance value? Call us today at (303) 449-3239 or email us at mark@welovepaint.com to schedule a free consultation with our color designer and let’s work together to find the right hue for your next painting project.