How to Choose an Interior Paint
Size Up Your Room
Consider its shape and size. A lighter color can make a small room feel more spacious, while a darker color can help an immense room seem cozier.
Take Architectural Details Into Account
Think about the moulding, trim, columns and brackets. What’s attractive and what’s not? Paint can accentuate a room’s features or hide them. Varying intensities and hues can complement architecture, furnishings and wall art.
Factor in Function
Will the main purpose of the room be eating, sleeping, working, entertaining or something else entirely? A warm hue in the living room or family room creates a more comfortable and inviting atmosphere for guests than a cooler color.
How to Choose a Color Palette
Have Color Confidence
Don’t be afraid to paint bold and bright. If your room is unfurnished, a vibrant color can fill it until you can.
Consider Yourself
Paint color should reflect your mood and personality. What are your favorite colors? If you’re having trouble selecting a color, try looking in your closet. The colors you enjoy wearing are the ones that make you feel good. You’re the one who has to live with the color, so live with the shades you love.
Work With What’s Already There
If you’ve already chosen an interior décor or if you’re working with a room that’s already furnished, focus on a favorite fabric color, piece of art, furniture or other objects.
Lowe’s Color Matching
Have something unique but can’t match the color? No problem. Lowe’s offers free computerized paint matching and custom color mixing to give you the best paint for your indoor spaces. You can also find top-rated interior paint brands at Lowe’s, so you can select your paint with confidence.
What’s the Difference Between Gloss and Sheen?
You might have heard these words used interchangeably, but they’re distinct features of paint reflecting light. Both gloss and paint sheen levels are measured differently, impact paint color differently and react to light differently.
Paint with low gloss and low sheen reflects less light; this makes it great for walls with a lot of imperfections or for low-maintenance areas like ceilings. High gloss and sheen paints are more durable but less forgiving with imperfections and touch-ups.
Paint can have both gloss and sheen.
Gloss
Gloss gives paint that shiny and clean look. It’s what reflects light off paint. Painters measure gloss by reflecting light off it at a 60-degree angle. The results are measured on a scale of 0-100 gloss units (or no gloss to a mirror-like surface). The lower the gloss units, the less glossy it looks.
Sheen
Sheen is what gives paint color its depth and radiance. Paint sheen levels can be seen in the difference between a light washed-out blue into a deep navy blue. Sheen is measured at an 85-degree angle and rated on the same scale as gloss.
Selecting a Paint Finish
Before choosing your paint, think about where your room fits into the scheme of things. Where's it situated in relation to other rooms? Is it a high- or low-traffic area? What do you want to accentuate? The type of paint finish you choose makes a world of difference in the end.
Flat
Low-Luster, Satin or Eggshell
Use low-luster, satin or eggshell paint on areas where you want a sheen. Easier to clean than flat paint, they’re great for high-traffic areas, such as hallways, bathrooms, bedrooms and playrooms.
Semi-Gloss or Gloss
Go for semi-gloss for kitchens and bathrooms; choose gloss for banisters, railings, shelves, door jambs and windowsills. Also, keep in mind that the higher the gloss, the more it emphasizes any surface imperfections.
Durability
Paint finishes aren’t just about what you see. They also influence how you maintain your walls. Flat paints are the least durable of the paint finishes. People often notice some paint coming off when they wipe it with a damp cloth, or they’ll find that their flat paint is more likely to stain.
Gloss is the most durable paint. It’s one of the best paints for interior walls in high-traffic areas as it resists damage and prevents staining well.
Selecting a Primer
Now that you’ve selected your paint, you’ll need to choose the best primer for the job. Priming is an important step in the painting process because it helps prepare the wall by providing a uniform base to which the paint will adhere.
The best primer to use depends on the wall surface and the paint you’ll be using. For more on choosing the right primer, read our Primer Buying Guide.
Other Paint Considerations
When selecting an interior finish, try choosing a water-based enamel instead of an oil-based gloss paint. Water-based gloss enamels have less odor than conventional oil-based paints, are much easier to clean up and wear better over time.
Don’t Cut Corners on Paint Quality
Purchase Sample Sizes
Low-VOC or No-VOC Paint
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are harmful chemicals that are released as paint dries. Different kinds of paint have different VOC levels. Be sure to read the label to ensure you’re getting a low-VOC or no-VOC paint.
Consider the Price
Because different paints have different glosses, sheens and colors, their prices vary. Flat paint is usually the cheapest, eggshell is in the middle and semi-gloss comes in at the most expensive.