I thought I would start a new series here called house to home where I answer common questions I get about creating a cozy home. A question I have been getting a lot lately has been about how to pick out a paint color that will stand the test of time and have a great resell value on the home but still feel cozy and custom.
I usually start with your typical white, gray or beige. These are the most common colors that have an amazing resell value for your home and you can still customize your home in other ways to make these paint colors on your walls feel unique. First, when you are looking at paint samples, try to find samples with multiple paint colors that go from light to dark. This is the easiest way to see what undertones a neutral color will pull when in different light. Whether a gray will pull more blue or pink or a white will have a green undertone, these paint samples will tell you from the beginning.
Next, always try it out in your space. Some of my favorite go to colors that I recommend to staging clients are Simply White, Alabaster, Agreeable Gray, Simply Gray, or my new favorite is Agreeable Beige. These are great colors that usually look great on all walls in the majority of homes. See what you like best and what fits your style best. For me, I grew up in a very brown home. We had tan walls and wood cabinets so for my own home, I lean more towards grays because I like that style best and it feels different to me. Beige is making a comeback though, and I have seen some beautiful homes that have beige walls.
If your paint sample is letting an undertone you don't like through, try a sample that has the opposite undertone. For example, if a paint color is looking a little pink, try a sample with a green undertone. This should help for homes that get a lot of warm light shining through where the sun is shining in your home the brightest in the morning or at sunset.
Now, let's talk about paint finishes. That is your Matte, Flat, Eggshell, Satin, Semi-gloss, or High Gloss paints. You can completely disregard high gloss in my opinion because it is very reflective and unless you like cleaning mirrors, you can ignore this finish. It is one that I feel like you would have to clean all the time in order to keep the sheen and it is reflective so any light that hits it will be amplified. I don't even recommend it for darker colored paints because it can throw off the color. There are exceptions, like if it were a dark paint in a den where there is very little light, but that isn't common. I still think, you can get the same effect with a semi-gloss finish.
Matte and Flat are very similar and I usually put these finishes on ceilings and sometimes even trim because I like the look of a matte finish. From what I understand, is the difference is Matte, there is an added element to make it non-reflective, where a Flat finish, they leave alone. I am not a paint making/mixing expert but from what I have heard and my research, this is what I understand. You already have light fixtures in the ceiling so you don't need additional light being reflected and leaving you with a glare.
Eggshell, Satin and Semi-gloss are all similar to me too and just depends on how much light you want reflecting off your walls and the durability of your paint brand. Some brands might recommend a Satin over a Semi-gloss based off of durability. I like to use a Semi-gloss in all the main living spaces in my home. I will use it in bedrooms and bathrooms too just out of convenience of already having the paint can but otherwise, I would use an Eggshell finish. Eggshell is usually my go to for trim and baseboards because it has a lower sheen than Satin and Semi-Gloss.
Once you have your paint colors figured out, it is time for the fun part in my opinion. There are so many things you can do to make a common paint color feel unique to you while still having a great resell value if you don't plan on staying in your home for longer than a couple of years. Flooring, window treatments, and furnishings are just a few of the ways that you can get creative with creating a unique home that you can love. We will talk more about these in our next segment of the series. Let me know which you would love to talk about first! Until next time, bye homie!
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