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Paint Trends and Traditions

It may be one of the easiest ways to change a room, but choosing a new color of paint is anything but easy. Luckily, going with the tried and true is totally acceptable when it comes to paint colors. For instance, paint manufacturer Benjamin Moore has named Simply White its color of the year for 2016.

"I think white is very versatile," says Chris Palmieri of The Paint Shop in Old Saybrook, who noted that Benjamin Moore offers 140 different shades of off-white. "It's a very traditional paint choice."

Benjamin Moore's Historical Colors collection features a wide variety of colors that have enjoyed prolonged popularity in New England. Many of the names are familiar: Saybrook Sage, Guilford Green, Sandy Hook Grey, Stonington Grey, and Gettysburg Grey.

"It's colors that have become popular probably through hundreds of years," says Palmieri. "They're a little more muted, not as bright as some of the other options."

When choosing a color, don't just look at the color samples.

"We always tell people to put a wet sample of paint on the wall," Palmieri says. "You really should not select color based on a one-by-one [inch] square of what the color representation is. We have all florescent lighting here, so what a color may read in this type of store may be different from your house in the morning, afternoon, and at night."

When deciding between light or dark colors, take the size of the room into account.

"A darker color is going to make a smaller room seem more cramped, so a lighter color will trick the eye and make it seem more breezy, open," says Palmieri.

Dark colors, however, are almost always appropriate as accents to set off a lighter color, such as on shutters.

"While shutters are often painted a white finish, bold finishes can be an accent to any colors already in the room when applied to shutters," noted Colleen Murdock, owner of Shuttercraft, Inc., in Madison.

To coordinate colors, there are several easy methods. A paint shop can take an existing color and lighten it or darken it to create a matching accent, trim, and wall paint. Or, select your colors from a collection of colors designed to complement each other.

"You can walk up to that rack, pick three colors, and they will all coordinate together," says Palmieri of Benjamin Moore's Affinity Collection. "It's foolproof."

As for paint type, popular choices include acrylic latex, traditional oil-based paints, and waterborne alkyd paints—the latter is relatively new to the market. Acrylic latex paints dry stronger and are more durable than traditional latex paints. Traditional oil-based paints are extremely durable, but must be applied and dried in a well-ventilated area. Waterborne alkyd paints combine the best of both worlds, according to Palmieri.

"It's an oil-based paint that cleans up with soap and water," he says. "It dries very hard like an oil-based paint, levels very well, and is about two-thirds the price of an oil-based paint."

For the health-conscious or those who must paint in an occupied area of the home, Benjamin Moore's Natura paint is a zero-VOC paint—that means it contains no volatile organic compounds, which are potentially harmful.

"We sell a lot of [Natura]. There's no odor, it's 100-percent safe—it's probably the safest paint on the market. It's definitely gaining ground," says Palmieri. He also noted that all types of paint are completely safe once they have dried.

Finally, there's the choice of sheen.

"The most popular sheen for a wall is eggshell, and the most popular for trim is satin or semi-gloss," says Palmieri. "The more sheen to something, the easier it's going to be to clean."

As with most things, there's a trade-off. Although you cannot wash a flat finish, it does hide imperfections better and it's easier to touch up.

Still looking for a way to give your room a distinctive look? Glazing a wall brings out texture and the appearance of depth. Glazing refers to applying a translucent medium over a solid base coat, then partially removing it to reveal the color beneath. With so many options on the market, you'll find a way to bring your vision to life.

What About Your Windows?

Beyond painting a room, window treatments such as drapes, shutters, and curtains are another relatively inexpensive way to create a new look. Provided the room isn't a bedroom where privacy is needed, plantation shutters are a good choice—and a very popular one in New England. They don't provide much insulation or light blockage, so they're typically used decoratively in living spaces, or in the bathroom over a big soaking tub.

"Wider plantation louvers allow for more light overall and can be less 'busy' looking," says Colleen Murdock, owner of Shuttercraft, Inc. in Madison. She provided a brief overview of shutter types.

"Traditional louvers are often hinged as bifolds in upper and lower rows to allow for privacy below, while allowing light to come through the upper half of the window. They stack neatly to the side when open," she says. "Raised panel shutters can give a classic Colonial appearance and a very 'clean' coverage of a window."

As with paint colors, your choice of window treatments should take into account the size of the room.

"Drapes can make a small room look smaller, while shutters mounted inside the window trim create a clean look and open feel," says Murdock.

Finally, take cleaning into consideration when choosing a window treatment. Drapes and curtains may require dry cleaning, while there are a variety of new products on the market to simplify the work of