Choosing wall colors is always a challenge but an easy way to refresh your space is to add a new color to your walls. Color can add depth and warmth, brighten a dark room, and can even make a large unwelcoming space feel cozy and quaint. And, of course, the color symbolizes meaning too!
But with all of these color choices, it can be quite hard to narrow down the choices to the perfect color for you and your room. We’ve gathered up some of our favorite tips to help you choose just the right color for your space!
Tip #1: Pinterest Is Your Best Friend
Not sure where to start? Create a board on Pinterest and start pinning rooms that catch your eye. After multiple pins, take a step back and begin narrowing down what style captures your attention the most. You should begin to see a pattern develop and this should help you narrow down the look and feel you are trying to achieve.
Tip #2: Choose Your Furniture First
Draw inspiration from your furniture versus aiming to match your furniture to your paint choice. While it may seem counterintuitive, it is a lot easier to match your paint to your furniture than the other way around. Looks for subtle colors in patterns and color options that will make your whole room feel more cohesive.
Tip #3: Test Your Color Choice
Once you have narrowed down your top choices, it is time to throw some paint on the wall to help you choose wall colors. Head to your local paint store and buy paint samples in a few of your favorite colors. Here are a few pointers for testing paint:
- Paint large sample areas on different walls to see how the light reflects off the paint.
- Leave the test areas up for at least one week.
- Paint a piece of poster board with your sample colors and hold it up to your furniture to get a feel for how it looks. It doesn’t need to match, but it should go well together.
- Keep your sample paints (in the color you choose) for touch-ups later on.
Tip #4: Choose The Right Sheen
We all know paint comes in many different colors, but did you know it also comes in a variety of finishes? Certain finishes tend to lend themselves better to indoor and outdoor projects, but knowing which to choose for your room is good. Consider the location of the room. Do you need a more durable paint? Does the wall have imperfections you are trying to hide? Do you need to be able to easily clean the wall? Make sure to step back and ask yourself the above questions before you even purchase a paint sample.
Here are the finishing options you have to choose from:
Flat or Matte: One of the most common types of wall paint, matte paint does not have any shine or sheen and is ideal for walls and ceilings. This is one of the most common interior wall paint options, but it does need to be touched up quite often as it can get dirty easily.
- Mainly used for: adults’ bedrooms and other interior rooms
- Medium to low durability
Satin: Located somewhere between a matte and a gloss, a satin finish paint has a soft sheen to it. This is a popular option for areas that receive a lot of traffic as it is easy to clean.
- Mainly used for: family rooms, foyers, hallways, kids’ bedrooms
- High durability
Eggshell: Easy to apply and has a subtle shine making it ideal for interior wall paint. It is considered a more matte type paint, so it should not be used in areas that are susceptible to a lot of bumps.
- Mainly used for: dining rooms, living rooms
- Medium durability
Semi-Gloss: Durable and easy to clean, a semi-gloss, has a glossy finish as the name would suggest. This finish is a great option for rooms that receive a lot of moisture.
- Mainly used for: kitchens, bathrooms, trim, chair rails
- High durability
High-Gloss: This high shine paint offers a durable finish and is a very popular interior paint choice. However, due to its high shine, it showcases a wall’s imperfections and often needs multiple coats to get an even color. This finish is very easy to clean.
- Mainly used for: kitchens, doors, and window trims
- High durability
Tip #5: Store Your Furniture
One of the most important tips to know while painting your interior walls is to make sure your furniture and other belongings are properly stored so they do not get paint or dust on them from sanding. At Fox Moving and Storage, we have a variety of packing and storage options that will keep your belongings clean and out of the way while you refresh your walls with a fresh coat or two of paint.