Color is hot, hot, hot right now. You can see it in every magazine—home design as well as on the fashion pages—magnificent splashes of color. Everywhere you turn—fuchsia, orange, yellow and cobalt blue—from the runways to your home space, it’s exciting to see it translate from couture gowns and priceless jewelry into luscious pillows and to-die-for cashmere throws, antique fabrics on sofas and precious art that jumps off the wall. Yes, color is the hottest way to rev up any wardrobe or space. So, what’s the problem? Those items can be quite costly. Folks are cutting back but they’re still craving this excitement of color change and don’t have the funds available, so they get frustrated and depressed.
Don’t despair. Trust me, it’s much hotter to be not in debt. If you charge that fabulous lime green sofa and pay long term for immediate gratification, it will fade away as soon as you receive your first credit card bill saying you owe X amount of dollars! Think long and hard. There’s always another way—PAINT! Paint is and always will be the cheapest, most cost effective design tool we have. You get more bang for your buck simply by rolling on a coat of paint and getting a huge shift in the energy of your room.
Anytime you can make a splash with color by using paint, you add some wow into your life and home without spending a lot of money, “That’s red hot!” It’s the perfect wow factor that’s as changeable as the pages of the magazines. This season it’s bright colors; next season could be muted earth tones! So instead of that lime green sofa that was calling your name, grab a color wheel. Match the exact tone on that sofa in the store and race to your nearest paint shop, buy yourself not only a gallon or two of color to roll onto that boring white wall behind your old couch but also some peace of mind. That’s priceless and very HOT!
What are you waiting for?
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The Finish Line—After color, paint finish is next in terms of importance. The finish is the amount of light that is reflected off the surface once the paint has dried. The range of finishes goes from flat (little or no light reflected) to high gloss (a glossy sheen where a significant amount of light is reflected).
Flat paint, sometimes called “matte,” is most often used for interior walls. Since it doesn’t reflect a lot of light, it does a good job of hiding minor imperfections on the surface of the wall. Don’t, however, feel that just because it’s usually done that way, you have to use flat paint for your interior walls. A high-gloss or semi-gloss sheen on an accent wall in your bedroom could make quite a statement!
A satin finish, sometimes referred to as “eggshell,” is the next step up in terms of sheen. If you don’t like the sometimes-chalky look of matte paint, try an eggshell finish to give it a creamy, buttery look.
A semi-gloss finish may be a good choice for a humid room, such as a bathroom or basement rec-room, due to its ability to repel moisture. Sometimes the walls of a bathroom can mildew if they are not properly protected. But if you like the look of flat paint rather than a semi-gloss finish, there are mildew-inhibiting products available that you can use to prime your walls before you apply your favorite matte color! Many paint companies have recently developed “washable” flat paints that clean like a semi-gloss, but hide like a flat.
Last, but definitely not least, is high gloss! High gloss is most commonly used for trim and painting furniture. Along with being a great moisture repellent, a higher gloss finish is easier to maintain. One reason it’s often used for trim (besides the fact that it can catch the light from some fabulous crown molding) is that it doesn’t stain or show dirty fingerprints as much as flat paint would. Just think about how much more often a cabinet or a door frame is touched compared to the wall behind a sofa!
Remember: Finishes go from dull to glossy. The higher the gloss, the more durable it is. But keep in mind that even though it’s easier to maintain, it might not look like it because it can highlight the imperfections of the wall itself. Thus, the finish isn’t purely for looks—it serves a functional purpose too!
What are you waiting for?
Change Your Home, Change the World™
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