Akzo brand announces the launch of a new augmented reality app on smartphones and tablets to let consumers virtually paint their walls with hundreds of Dulux shades and see the results in real time.
The Dulux Visualizer app can be used to pan around a room using the camera on the mobile device and is able to detect the difference between wall space, furniture and fixtures and then paint around contours. It also recognises light changes in the room. A masking tape feature also allows users to 'tape off' sections of the wall and experiment with different colours in each section.

Users are able to switch between up to 1,200 paint colours featured within the Dulux range and order a tester pot from within the app itself or tins of paint from Dulux's website.

The app was launched following a 2013 Global Colour Survey, where Dulux asked 5,000 people about their thoughts and feelings on colour. 76% of people surveyed said they had been afraid of making the wrong colour choice in their home.

Dulux creative director Marianne Shillingford said: "This new decorating tool is a really exciting step forward and will go a long way to encouraging people to experiment and have fun with colour without the worry of making the wrong colour choice."

Dulux has also revealed that its newly-launched Mixlab paint mixing unit will be a feature in all Homebase stores by the end of this month. Taking paint mixing to the next level, the Mixlab features a colour wall with tester cards where customers can select their colour and even then change the lighting effect on the interactive station to see how warm or cool lighting will impact the chosen hue.

For consumers wanting to match a particular colour, the Mixlab can scan any item and find the closest Dulux shade to match, while examples of painted wood on display on the unit help customers visualise the different finishes exactly as they would appear when used in the home, helping avoid confusion and helping customers select the right paint for the job.