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04/08/2017 12:00 AMA quick coat of paint can transform the look and feeling of a room, but with so many colors to choose from, how do you know where to start? If you're unsure on a color, you can try a Connecticut-inspired paint or ask your local paint shop pros for advice.
How do I choose my paint colors?
Choosing a paint color can seem like a daunting task, but there are some ways to make it easier. If you have no idea what you're looking for, try browsing magazines or Pinterest and seeing what colors jump out at you.
If you know what color you'd like, Chris Stumpe of Guilford Paint and Decorating recommends "working around how much light is in the room" as the same paint can appear different depending on how bright or dark a room is.
"It's always better to start with a couple samples so you can see what it will actually look like in your room," says Stumpe.
Ronnie Romano, who works at Joe's Paint Center in Branford and has been in the paint business for more than five decades, adds that while everyone sees colors differently, most paint stores have a decorator on staff who will be able to make recommendations on colors.
What kind of paint should I buy?
Once you've chosen your color, it's time to decide on your finish. The finish you choose will depend on the room you are painting as different finishes have different durabilities. Flat paints are not washable and generally reserved for a ceiling. Other finishes include eggshell, matte, and semi-gloss.
"If customers are unsure, we'd go over that with them," says Andy Scott, who has owned The Paint Shop in Old Saybrook for the past 29 years. "Eggshell is a little harder finish so it's scrub-ability makes it a better choice for a kitchen, hallway, or even a kid's bedroom. More formal areas might be done in a matte."
How much paint should I buy?
Every can of paint has specs telling consumers the amount of square footage that they can expect covered – most gallons range in coverage from 350 to 400 square feet – but there are several other factors to keep in mind.
The surface to be painted should be considered. Surfaces should be prepared by being cleaned and repaired prior to painting. Once the surface is cleaned and repaired, most of the time, it needs to be primed. Stumpe notes that if you are staying "pretty close" to the color already on the wall, the surface should be primed.
"Paint is only as good as surface it's on," Romano says. "If it's peeling, it will peel again."
When it's time to paint, many people choose paint based on a lower cost, but that tactic can sometimes backfire as consumers often need to use more coats of a cheaper paint to cover an area. Scott stressed the importance of buying a quality paint because "the better the quality, the better it'll perform for you."
"My rule of thumb is the cheaper the paint you buy, the more you'll use," says Romano.
What are the trending styles and colors?
Years ago, there were many trends in applying paint using sponges or rags, but paint experts agree that now most people are cutting in the edges with a brush and rolling the large sections of the walls.
While there aren't any new trends in application, Scott noted that accent walls are now a popular feature.
"Many people paint a room in a neutral color and pick one wall as a focal point and pick an accent color," says Scott. "Usually it's the wall where the headboard is in the bedroom or the fireplace in the living room and that wall has something more bold."
Scott has seen his customers moving toward more colorful, bolder paints for bigger areas, but still using neutral colors in smaller spaces. Over the past few years, Romano said grays, blues, and greens have been most popular at Joe's Paint Center. Stumpe's customers at Guilford Paint and Decorating have tended toward grays and off-whites, noting that Benjamin Moore's Simply White and Marilyn's Dress, a neutral gray, have been particularly popular.