Interior Designers hold many subjective opinions about paint, based on their personal tastes. However, there are also a few rules that apply to every home. It is my mission to help people love where they live and education is a big part of that. The following three paint rules are designed to help you make good choices.
- The fastest way a DIY homeowner gets into trouble is to make a mistake picking a paint color by using the big fan deck of all the paint options. Paint stores will sell you this fan deck for about $20 and you might think you now have the proper tool to find your paint color, but you are mistaken. My interior design background includes years of color theory and since I cannot share all of that information in this blog, you will have to trust me.
Save your $20 and skip the fan deck. Instead, buy the large samples that paint companies provide. It is inexpensive and takes a little extra time, but it is worth it. I also highly recommend hiring a designer to review your spaces and help you make a quick paint selection. Prices for this service will vary based on where you live and how many rooms you plan to paint, but an average cost is $95. If you think that is too much money to spend, ask yourself how much it will cost you to repaint when you are finished and find that you hate the color. It doesn’t seem so expensive anymore, right?
- Once you determine your color, you have to select the finish. Putting aside personal preferences of who likes glossy and who prefers matte, or what the current trend is, there are rules you should know. The higher the gloss the more the blemishes will show. This means nail marks, uneven spots and any imperfections will be more obvious. However, the glossier the paint, the better it is to clean. That is why glossy paint is typically recommended for kitchens and bathrooms.
- You get what you pay for with paint. The cheap crap at Home Depot is cheap and its crap. It takes more of that cheap paint to cover the wall so you are not actually saving money. There are many good paint companies in every neighborhood that are easy enough to find. When you buy quality, you never regret it. This is true for everything from frying pans to dish soap and everything in between.
If you follow these three simple rules about paint you’ll be on your way to loving where you live. Happy painting!
Heather McManus
Artistry Interiors
