What Paint Is Right For You?

Choosing the right paint color isn’t the only consideration when doing your latest paint project. You also need to think about the type of paint, as well as what finish is right for your room.

I am a big fan of paint samples. No matter if I use Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, Home Depot, or Lowes they all offer test pots of paint in all varieties of finishes. I think the most I have paid for a test pot is around $7 US. This is a small investment to make sure I don’t make a more costly mistake.

I used to apply a couple of coats of the test paint directly to the wall, but learned that putting it on a poster board makes it easier to see how it will dry, look, and I can move it around the room to see how it looks throughout the day and evening.

The two types of paint are water based and oil based. I don’t mess with oil based paint because of the smell, clean up, drying time, and the overall application is much more difficult. If I were to hire a paint crew I might be tempted to have them use an oil based paint in the laundry room or bathroom, simply because it is a great for humidity and moisture.

Now the color is chosen, the type is picked, so what finish is best? Matte, Eggshell, Satin, or Semi-Gloss. Just as I am a fan of water based paints, I love a matte finish.

Matte: It is easy on the eye with the smooth appearance. I believe it allows for better saturation of natural light during the day, and is relaxing at night. It can be more difficult to clean, so having paint in a touch up bottle is necessary.

Eggshell: Has a bit of sheen that makes it more reflective. It is easy to clean, this makes it great for high traffic areas. Satin & Eggshell are relatively close, with Satin being a touch shinier. My office is a smaller space and I used an Eggshell finish because it lacks natural light, and needed something a bit extra to bring the space to life.

Semi-Gloss: This type is what I like to use on finishes. The issue with Semi-Gloss is it is highly reflective, so using it in a large space can be overwhelming. This is why I like to use it for doors, baseboards, window trim, and other types of trim.

Paint color, type, and finish are personal choices. Choose what is aesthetically pleasing to your eye and makes you love how the room looks and feels. You can also mix the finishes with an accent wall, stripe, or other decorative way. Explore your options and most of all have fun, because it’s just paint.