When going to the store to select paint, most people spend their time trying to find the perfect color but they often fail to select a quality paint in the proper sheen. Using a quality paint like Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore will definitely cost you more but it pays off in ease of use and quality of the finished product.

Paint comes in many different sheens and they are named slightly differently depending on the company. In general, you will find that paint comes in flat, eggshell, semi-gloss and gloss sheens. Using flat paint is one of the secrets professional painters use to create magazine-quality walls. While the home renovation store will probably recommend an eggshell or even a semi-gloss sheen for your main living areas due to ease of clean up, many people don’t realize that paint technology has advanced quite a bit lately and you can find washable, durable, flat paints. Flat paints have next to no shine when the light hits them and this creates a soft velvety smooth look.

Even though a semi-gloss paint is usually suggested when painting kitchen and bathrooms, you can easily get away with a quality, washable flat paint in the kitchen. This will give your kitchen more of a high end designer home feel and not the suburban cookie-cutter look. Make sure to paint your bathroom ceilings with a mold resistant paint. It will be difficult to find this in a flat paint but you can usually find it in eggshell which is quite a bit less glossy than a semi-gloss. Some companies offer a version between eggshell and semi-gloss and this is usually a perfect choice for a bathroom.

Just remember that employees at home renovation stores are not typically professional painters and are usually trained to recommend people to avoid flat paint for anything other than ceilings. You don’t have to be scared of flat paint, just make sure you get a washable type. Your friends and neighbors will likely compliment you on your paint choice and you may become the neighborhood expert on painting.

Will Renovating My Bathroom or Kitchen Add Value To My Home?
In today’s market, it will not. People will pay the same amount of money for a house with no kitchen or bathroom renovations so don’t invest. Instead, update your bathroom and kitchen by adding new hardware, giving it a fresh coat of paint and changing light fixtures.

Don’t Renovate For Today, Renovate For Tomorrow
Trends come and go but your renovation doesn’t. When looking for ideas, make sure you don’t look at current trends. For example, open concept was once the new thing. Now, it’s more compartmentalized. Dark wood finishes were the rave, but lighter tones have hit the market. When in doubt, go as simple as possible. If you choose hardwood, go with a natural color and a popular wood like oak or birch. For paint colors, don’t always go bold, stay on the neutral side and add color with accessories.

Budget, Budget, Budget
If you plan on renovating, be it a new deck, hardwood or a new closet, always plan ahead. Talk to others who have renovated and see how much and how long it takes to renovate. If you plan on outsourcing the work, call and see how long the wait list is.

Renovate One Are At A Time
Many people have big dreams for their home. They want to knock down walls, have new cabinetry, hardwood, crown molding and wainscoting. Taking on too much will cut your projects and take twice as long. Focus on one area or one room and complete that one area or room until it is finished. Have a plan and stick to it.

Renovating your home can bring new life into it. Good luck!