With so many options available, choosing paint to finish off your renovation is sometimes a bit overwhelming. It seems like an easy task until you start rolling the paint on and start to panic. If that sounds familiar, this article is for you. We’ll run through the top tips you need to know to choose the paint for your space.
Don’t overthink it.
Remember… it’s just paint—literally the cheapest way to change the look and feel of any space. When you’re elbows deep in a major renovation, the cost (both in time and product) of paint is a relatively small one. You can obsess about whether “Sahara” or “Sand” is the perfect shade for your kitchen remodel, but the reality is that by the time the walls are done you may not even remember which one you ended up picking.
Choose your paint colours last.
Not only are there thousands of shades available, but paint can easily be colour-matched to coordinate with other elements from the room. There are far fewer bathroom cabinet colours (or tile colours, countertop colours, flooring colours, fabrics… you get the picture) to choose from, and all of those items are significantly more expensive than a few cans of paint. It’s far more difficult to try to find a tile to match a paint swatch than to find a paint swatch to match a tile.
Test, test, test.
Those little bitty paint swatches are handy, but if you’re not sure you’ve got enough confidence to pick something from them, don’t be scared to get some test cans made. For minimal cost, most hardware stores will mix up a test amount of the colours you want and you can paint some onto one of your walls. How we perceive colours can vary widely in different types of light and on different wall planes, so paint some onto the wall of the room you’re renovating and take a look at them during different times of day and under different lighting conditions. Please don’t choose your paint colours while you’re standing in the hardware store. Lighting in box stores is typically not at all similar to household lighting, so bring it back to your kitchen and see what it actually looks like there.
One thing to also remember while testing… if you’re painting over a wall that already has a colour on it, small test patches may look weird because your impression of the colours will be influenced by the colour around them. If you think you might have trouble, a quick coat of white primer to paint your sample paints on to might be a smart thing to do.
Don’t forget about the sheen.
Once you’ve chosen a paint colour for that new bathroom, you’ve tested it out and you’re excited to get it up on the wall, it’s time to consider the sheen. Typically the glossier the paint, the more wipe-able and durable it will be, but any flaws or inconsistencies on your wall will be much more visible. Matte paints, however, will hide those flaws and won’t reflect a shine, but won’t be quite as durable.
Don’t be scared to try something bold.
Like we mentioned, paint is a generally inexpensive way to change the look of any room in your home, and that makes it the perfect place to play a little. Trying out trendy colours on the wall is a pretty low-commitment way to experiment, and when you’re in the mood for something different, it’s relatively easy to paint over.
Still stuck? Feeling indecisive? Having trouble choosing paint? That’s what we’re here for! With our team of talented designers we have plenty of help available to get you on track to renovating or building a space you’ll love. If you need a little boost, or maybe some new ideas you haven’t thought of yet, we’ve got lots! Renovating is our passion and we’re always up to build some beautiful spaces! Contact us or schedule a free consultation to get started!