Bought the wrong colour? Here's what you can do
7.10.2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Anika Schulz
The DIY plan was good, the realisation rather... meh? Then I have a few ideas on how you can save your colour mistake.
If you've read my test about the wickedly expensive Anna of Mangold paint, you'll know that I really struggled with it. I now have half a pot of leftover paint sitting around. As I think it's too good to throw away, I'm giving it (and other leftover paint) a second chance.
Because that's the beauty of DIY: you can try things out, learn and do better next time.
Mixing
Too light, too dark, too whatever? You can mix colours together. But make sure you use products from the same line if possible, otherwise it can go wrong. For example, I tried tinting a creepy terracotta brown from the DIY store with the soft grey «Architect's Delight» from Anna von Mangoldt. Result: The colours didn't blend properly, even the test coat on a piece of cardboard was streaky.
Mixing two Anna von Mangoldt colours together, on the other hand, is no problem. For my bathroom, I mixed «Architect's Delight» with «Crystalle» in a ratio of 1:4. The «new» colour is a muted lime green that harmonises with the tiles.
Dilute
My main problem with solid colours in general - and Anna von Mangoldt colours in particular - is their consistency. They are simply too thick for me to be able to paint them easily. The manufacturer gave me the tip to dilute them with a little water. No sooner said than done. But: you have to be careful not to use too much water. There's a fine line between colour pudding and colour soup. I diluted almost four litres of Anna von Mangoldt paint with around 0.15 litres of water and that was (almost) too much.
Therefore: no matter which colour you dilute, approach it carefully. And never, really NEVER, pour the water into the paint bucket. Always put it in a separate container so that you can add more paint if you have used too much water. Most manufacturers indicate on the product data sheets to what per cent a paint can be diluted.
Use for other purposes
High-quality wall paints contain a high proportion of chalk. This gives them a powdery effect and optimum coverage. If you still have leftovers and don't know what to do with them: You can also paint furniture with it. At least those that are more «decorative» than «heavily used».
For example, I had a tiny bit of «Cozy» from Schöner Wohnen left over and used it to paint my side table for the sofa. Leave to dry, apply two coats of clear varnish - done. I've had the DIY table for three months now and as long as I only put coffee mugs and the remote control on it, it stays beautiful.
What do you do with leftover paint that you don't want to throw away? Tell me your upcycling ideas in the comments!
Header image: Anika Schulz
Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
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