How to Paint a Room to Give Your Apartment an Incredible Fresh Look

Narrowing Down Color Choices

• One of the hardest parts of painting a room is choosing a color. However, a few basic factors will help you narrow down the choices. First, consider the type of room and the function it serves. Is the room an active work or recreation space or is it a space for relaxation? Kitchens, dining rooms, home offices, game rooms and playrooms are typically active spaces, while bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms tend to be areas of relaxation. Warm colors energize a space, while cool colors help create a relaxed atmosphere. Other important factors are the room’s existing furniture and decor. The wall color needs to coordinate well with your existing furnishings. Also, if your landlord wants the walls returned to white when you leave, very dark or very bright colors will be harder to cover up with primer than lighter colors. Sticking to lighter shades or neutral colors is usually the best option in rental homes.

How to Balance Paint Colors

• When balancing a room’s color scheme, decorators use the 60-30-10 rule: 60 percent of the room should contain the primary color, 30 percent should contain a secondary color, and 10 percent should contain the brightest and boldest accent colors. This same formula will balance wall paint and typically includes a light neutral such as white or cream for trim. The primary color is usually a light, muted or neutral hue covering the majority of the wall space. The secondary color may be a darker shade of the primary hue or an analogous hue from the same color family. Typical uses include the bottom third of the wall or to emphasize architectural features such as a fireplace or built-in shelving. The accent color has the highest saturation and highlights small details such as raised or recessed trim on paneling or cabinet doors and muntins on glass cabinet doors. Accent walls are painted with either the secondary or accent color.

Trying Colors On

• Although wall color is not a permanent commitment, painting an entire room, including trim and possibly the ceiling, is still a considerable investment in time and materials. Before jumping all the way in, test the water first with a few practice boards. You can pick these up in the paint store and paint them with your chosen colors. Once the paint has dried, move the boards around the room and view them under different lights, at different angles, next to furnishings and at different times of the day. This will help you determine if the colors and shades you chose work with the room’s lighting and furnishings in creating the look and atmosphere you really want.

Choosing the Finish

• Choose the right finish for the room and surface you are painting for the best results and a professional look. Matte or flat finishes help conceal flaws and provide a soft look without reflection or glare. Matte paints work well in living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms. Satin and eggshell finishes are typically used in high-traffic areas such as kitchens, children’s rooms and hallways, as this finish cleans easily with a damp cloth. Semigloss paint handles high humidity and moisture well, making it a good choice for bathrooms. High-gloss or gloss paint is typically used to highlight details and make finishing architectural features stand out such as wall trim, crown molding, doors, window sills and corbels.