How Do I Choose the Best Interior Paint for My Home?

Jordan Paul , null

June 14th, 2022

How Do I Choose the Best Interior Paint for My Home?

There are so many paint options in modern construction, it is easy to get overwhelmed. Should you start a new color scheme or match the carpet? Do you want a bright, lively space or a cozy, warm den? You can create a mood within a space simply by painting it, so where do you start? Today we will offer a few tips from the pros to get your creativity flowing.

Select the Sheen For the Purpose of the Room

When we talk about the sheen of a paint, we’re talking about how well the paint reflects or absorbs light entering the room. For example, you can use a window’s natural light, an overhead fixture, or a lamp to exploit the room’s ability to bounce light. Most interior paints are available in a variety of sheens, all the way from a totally dull flat sheen to a highly reflective high gloss. Depending on the space, selecting the wrong sheen can result in a repaint..

Southward facing rooms with lots of windows and high gloss paint will reflect the most sunlight, so be careful using them for nurseries. These paints can make a room too bright and prevent comfortable sleep. Since most rooms are designed to be brightly colored, the effect can actually make the room so uncomfortable on a sunny day. These rooms tend to benefit from heavy window dressings and flatter sheens like flat, or eggshell.

Conversely, a small den with a north facing window might benefit from a light shade semi-gloss paint, as bright, reflective colors tend to make spaces feel larger. Even darker shades will seem lighter when light reflects more intensely. You can use a lamp to accent additional spaces, like over a reading nook or an easy chair.

Use Specialty Paints For Effect

Some paint experts suggest using effects to augment the intended use of the space. Specialty paints, such as blackboard, glow-in-the-dark, and paints with texture can add visual effects to a space by drawing attention. By selecting a color complimentary to the texture, or vice-versa, these paints can be used to create very unique spaces. For example, themed rooms, such as a bathroom decorated in shells, might benefit from an off-white sanded paint that can be integrated into the design as beach sand.

Modern specialty paints do more than just color a wall. Advances in paint technology have led to paints that have certain characteristics. For example, bathroom paints are now available to reduce or prevent the growth of mold and mildew. These paints contain antifungal properties that reduce the potential for mold and mildew growth by preventing spores from developing. Others contain polymers and other additives that create a water-resistant coating, preventing the buildup of moisture in wet locations.

Choose a Neutral Color

We’ve all been told to use neutral colors when possible if we plan to eventually sell a home. It’s perfectly fine to express your creativity, but be aware you may eventually have to cover up your artwork. Most buyers want to envision themselves in the home before purchasing, and deep colors can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on the buyer.

A much safer strategy to prevent a repaint before selling is to use subtle colors for the paint and provide visual interest with window treatments and furniture. Doing so means you’ll be taking the color with you when you leave. For this purpose, the pros suggest going easy on wall tints that might clash with a different decor.

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