How do I tone down a color on my wall without repainting?

Pat Lapinskas
by Pat Lapinskas
  9 answers
  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on Dec 20, 2018

    Hi Pat sorry you don't like the color of your walls, it has happened to me too. Here is a way you can tone down the color. Hope this is what you were looking for. Merry Christmas Whitewash is simply white paint mixed with clear liquid glaze for a see-through milky finish. Apply a sample mix to a small section of the wall to gauge the effect as it dries. Add more white to the glaze very slowly, testing as you go until the originalpaint color is toned down to a shade you can live with.

    What Glaze Will Tone Down Bright Paint Colors? | Hunker

    https://www.hunker.com/13413241/what-glaze-will-tone-down-bright-paint-colors

  • I am to sure it that is possible, maybe add a large mirror or picture to take the focus of the colour of the wall.

  • Lifestyles Homes Lifestyles Homes on Dec 20, 2018

    Is your wall paint now?

    If you donโ€™t even want to white wash it, which is essentially the same labor as painting it,

    then I can coach you on color psychology & lighting theory.


    Color psychology in this case is changing Ll the other colors on the offending direction. Example: my too-yellow ceramic tile shower walls will look less-yellow, if I paint the adjacent drywall light yellow & change the flooring to a gold tone & change the vanity to a yellow.


    Lighting Theory is to change the Kelvin Rating on your lamps (light bulbs) to shift all the colors in the entire room to either a cooler spectrum (4000 Kelvin) or a warmer spectrum (2700 Kelvin). This will also change the appearance of human skintones.

  • Joyce Holden Joyce Holden on Dec 20, 2018

    Even if you are not a painter, you can buy large canvases at the craft store, then use painters tape to mask off areas. Decide on the colors that would detract from the wall color and paint a color blocking design on the canvas. Another idea is to stencil a design on the main wall or wallpaper that wall to contrast or compliment the existing color.

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Dec 20, 2018

    I'm with applying the white glaze with an balled up piece of cheesecloth in large circular motions. Just like washing the wall. I used the same process on a peach colored bathroom wall. The white color wash toned down the brightness and dried to a wonderful pleasing color. Well worth the effort. Best of luck.

  • Mogie Mogie on Dec 14, 2022

    Rather than completely starting fresh with a more muted shade, apply a color wash over it, which provides the best of both worlds by allowing the original shade to remain evident, but toned down significantly.

  • Jackie Jackie on Dec 15, 2022

    It will fade in time, or the colour of your lighting could make a difference.


  • Try a color wash over it. If that doesn't do it, you may have to repaint.