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Archive for September, 2011

Painting your house is a fast and easy way to revitalize your home’s tired exterior or transform any room in your house. It can be quite a daunting task when deciding what type of paint color and finish to use when painting the exterior or interior of your home. Below, I’ve come up with several different paint colors and finishes that you may consider when painting your house, as well as descriptions highlighting each color’s best attributes.

Paint Finishes

Paint comes in a number of finishes, each suited to various purposes. You may want to consult a professional or a designer to find the right finish for every room of your home and bring out your home’s inner beauty.

Flat finish: This is typically used in bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms because it does not reflect light.

Gloss finish: This reflects light and is frequently used on areas of your home where you want to reflect light or accentuate parts of your home such as the trim

Satin/eggshell: This reflects a small amount of light and is typically great for hallways and common areas that you want to brighten up a little

Semi-gloss finish: A slightly less reflective gloss coating that is easy to clean. Often used in kitchens and bathrooms.

Paint Colors

Equally as important as the finish is the colors you would like to use. Again, if you’re not sure about which colors will work in various areas of your home, it might be helpful to consult a professional. In general, bright colors like red and orange will make rooms feel more cozy, whereas cooler colors like blue and green will tend to help open up a room.

White: Surprisingly, a bright white will help open up a room and make it feel a bit bigger. You can also use it as a backdrop or accent to other more dominant colors.

Red: This is a very bold color that can really brighten up a room especially if used in conjunction with other colors.

Blue: Tends to be a very soothing color that can help bring some calm to your bedroom, bathroom or other areas of the house intended to be quiet and relaxing.

Always remember, you can always paint over a wall if you don’t like its color or finish. You change your paint colors as often as you like and it’s a cheap, and home-improvement drastic overhaul for any room.

All paints are pretty much alike, and you really do not have to worry about what brand name you get, as long as you find something that fits your budget, right? If you have made the mistake of simply picking a brand of paint off the shelf based on cost alone, you have learned that paints are not all created equal. It is important to know how to tell if paint is high quality if you are aiming for the most professional look possible in your home.

Thickness is one of the keys to understanding the quality of a particular brand of paint versus a different brand that is the same style and shade. A thicker paint will adhere better, the color is truer, and the overall result will be a longer-lasting and more durable paint. This often leads to fewer coats of paint, which can really save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Consider the following scenario: John Doe purchases 2 gallons of store brand paint at $15 per gallon. Since the paint does not cover well, he winds up purchasing two more gallons at the same price in order to complete the job. Name brand paint, higher quality, costs $18 per gallon, but covers in just one coat. In this case, it cost $60 to get the job done with a “bargain” paint, but only $36 with the premium brand; not to mention the extra work and frustration of having to paint a second coat.

Quality can also refer to the ingredients in the paint, and if the environment is a key concern for you during this purchase look for those with no VOCs. Volatile organic compounds, commonly called VOCs, are harmful to the environment and should be totally avoided if you want to make an eco-friendly choice. High quality paints often offer no-VOC, or at least low-VOC paint shades that are a better choice for you and your family. They might cost a little more initially, but it is worth the additional cost to get superior protection for your home and family.

Acrylic paint is a better choice than latex in almost every situation, and paints are considered much higher quality if they are acrylic-based. This is another situation where high quality usually costs more than average quality, but it is worth it if you want a paint that is durable and provides excellent coverage. It is harder to make a mess with thick acrylic paint, easier to clean up anything that mars the paint, and it lasts longer than the average latex paint. In the long run, even they cost more initially, you are going to save a lot of time and hassle than if you choose lower quality paint.

High quality paints should be designed to work in your climate zone, since this has a huge effect on the finished look of the painted surface. Heat and cold can ruin the look of your paint job if you use the wrong type of paint in the wrong climate zone. Speak with a home décor professional, such as at your local home improvement retailer, to find out what type of paint is best in your climate zone to avoid mistakes that cost a fortune to fix.

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