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How to Choose Paint Colors for Your Place

Painting your apartment can be one of the most important parts of a simple home makeover project. Different colors affect the human brain in different ways. Yellow, for example, can be used to brighten your mood.

Walking into a room with yellow walls can be a nice surprise that never gets old. However, yellow is not the perfect color for everyone, so when thinking of a paint color, it is important to make sure the color matches the ambiance of your apartment and your personality.

Choosing a paint color can be intimidating. Painting can be a long and arduous process, which makes choosing the color the first step, and one of major importance. While this step is exciting, you should also consider how glossy you would like the paint to be. Since you are living in an apartment, consider how much action your apartment sees. If you like to host parties and gatherings that can get hectic, this can affect the walls. Scuffing is common and sometimes inevitable. If your living room or kitchen sees the most activity, it is best to choose a high gloss because these colors are easier to clean. For more information on ways to personalize your place with paints, refer to the sections below.

The Best Paint for You

Although everyone is familiar with the large variety of paint colors available, there is also a variety of sheens that you can purchase in either oil or latex. If you are in the market for a paint that is easy to clean and lasts long, look for latex paint. Latex is the most commonly used sheen.

When paint starts to fade, you will notice. People who choose latex as opposed to oil do so because the latex is usually more fade resistant. When you buy latex paint, you can also expect fewer blisters on the paint. Paint blisters occur when there is moisture moving from the interior of the wall to the exterior. Latex is the best paint to use on interior walls.

As mentioned earlier, glossy paint is a necessity for easily stained areas. Glossy paint is available on a spectrum. You can get high-gloss paint or low-gloss matte or flat paint. Places in your apartment that endure a lot of foot traffic require a high-gloss paint. Be aware, however, that high-gloss paints may be more expensive than low-gloss paints, so you may want to reconsider this if you are decorating on a tight budget.

Your cooking area will naturally accumulate a lot of grease, and this grease may sometimes end up on your walls. High-gloss paint will allow you to easily wipe the wall with a wet sponge for cleanup. Unfortunately, while you can clean walls with high-gloss paint easily, the paint will show blemishes. Prior to painting, examine the walls in your apartment. If there are already several of blemishes or scuff marks, opt for a matte or flat paint. If you are painting your entire apartment, flat or matte paint will work best in areas that do not see a lot of activity. Laundry rooms are a perfect example of a room that would benefit from this sort of paint.

The Best Shade of Paint for Your Rooms

Depending on the reason for painting your apartment, there are colors that fit any narrative. If you are trying to sell your apartment, you would be best equipped if the paint is either a white or an off-white color. Of course, you do not have to be selling your apartment in order to decide white is the best color to paint your living area. White and off-white offer your living space the chance to appear brighter and come off as cleaner.

If you would like a bit more color, there are also a lot of options to choose from. If you cannot decide on a color, consult with a paint store sales person on the look you are going for. They specialize in picking colors for certain types of living spaces.

You can also use the color wheel to help you pick a color. The color wheel is a wheel made up of twelve colors, one fading into the next, consisting of the primary and secondary colors. If you have accents in your furniture that you want to play up, find the color on the color wheel and then find the color right across from it. Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel typically complement each other and make it easier to coordinate.

If you want a soothing look, you should consider sticking with the same color in different shades. Different shades of the same color can be calming to the eye.

When choosing paint, you can choose from cool colors and warm colors. Cool colors consist of blues, greens and purples. If you want to make your apartment appear bigger, cool colors are the best choice.

Warm colors, like reds, yellows and oranges will make your apartment look livelier. You can also choose from muted shades that can vary in warmth. These shades are pink, light yellow and peach. These shades complement each other.

The Best Colors for Different Rooms

Colors affect your mood. When considering colors for different areas in your home, opt for a color that will not be overwhelming or gloomy. Your home should be where you relax and unwind. Even if your style is not calm and soothing, you should make sure you have a place in your home that brings those feelings about.

Consider painting your bathroom or bedroom a shade of blue to bring tranquility. Blue tends to emote calmness. Other colors that also bring calmness and tranquility include lavender, light pinks and light yellows. All these colors will provide a restful ambiance.

If you want your kitchen to show a more fun side of your apartment, opt for a bright color. A powdery blue is a great choice to add light to your kitchen.

In most apartments, the living room is the first room you see as you enter. It can be the place where most of your time is spent. Your living room should also have an inviting shade on its walls. The color should not be overwhelming, but neutral. However, neutral does not mean boring. Neutral colors like tan and off-white allow you a lot more room for decoration. When you have a neutral wall, you can be flexible with furniture and accessories.

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