March 2006
Brick, chocolate are hot paint colors
This year, it's about keeping warm and cozy
Paint is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to spruce up your living space. Color trends are moving away from last year's
bold, flashy hues into richer, homier shades such as brick reds, chocolate browns, and deep blues, according the Paint Quality
Institute, the educational arm of Rohm and Haas, a raw materials supplier to the paint industry.
Each year, PQI and other industry trend watchers take note of consumer selections and announce the new popular colors of the season. "Neutrals coupled with some of those warm deep tones are fabulous for creating an enveloping living space," said Deborah Zimmer, PQI's expert on decorative paint techniques and color trends. Pastels, especially pale pinks and yellows, are also popular for bedrooms, bathrooms, and sitting areas where you want to create a relaxing environment, Zimmer added.
If you're looking to put some color in your life, or at least your living space, here are some tips on how to choose the right paint for you. See our latest interior paint Ratings (available to ) for more than 50 paints and recommendations.
General tips
What gloss where? Shine is part style, part function. Semigloss paints put a durable finish on trim and shelves. In hallways and kids' rooms, low-luster paints are the best choice because many are very good at resisting stains and most do not scrub off when cleaned. Flat paints are best for low-traffic areas.
Choose the right color. Make the most of color-sampling products and services. Tape sample chips where you will see them in morning, afternoon, and evening light. Try retailers' color-matching computers, but be prepared to spend some time to get the color right. Color intensifies on large areas, so if it's a toss-up between a darker and a lighter shade, go lighter. Gloss level also affects color. Flat paints and textured walls absorb light, so colors seem darker.
Use care with computerized color. You might think that if you use a paint store's computerized color-matching service, it will find the perfect paint, whether you're trying to match tile or existing paint. But a perfect match is elusive, our tests show. We found differences among formulas and mixes, even among stores in the same chain. Computer color matching is worth a try, but don't expect perfection. Most retailers will not give you a refund on a paint you deem a bad match. So ask them to work with you to adjust the tint.
Buy the top of the line. Tested paints are the top of each manufacturer's line. We have found that lower grades do not perform as well.
Be flexible. A color does not have to precisely match the green leaf in the draperies. To look good, it needs only to be in the same color family. Note whether the green has an undertone of yellow or blue. A paint with the same undertone will look good even if it's lighter or darker.
Solutions for problem rooms
The paint you choose depends on your walls. For more tips and recommendations, see our latest interior paint Ratings
Flawed walls. Whether there's cracked plaster or visible drywall taping, always use paint with a flat finish. A glossier paint will emphasize imperfections.
Drastic color change. Your new house has a purple room and you're an off-white kind of person. Drastic color change, especially light over dark, calls for exceptional hiding ability. Many models in the Ratings
Blotchy mildew. Paints sometimes contain a mildewcide to prevent mildew in damp bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and the like. Before painting, clean the area with a mild solution of one part chlorine bleach to three parts water. When the area is dry, apply a paint that scored very high for mildew resistance. Consider using an eggshell or semigloss finish instead of a flat finish; should mildew reappear, it may be easier to clean.
Tired trim. Glossy paints are best for doors, baseboards, and other trim because scuffs and stains clean up fairly easily. But some glossy paints remain tacky long after they are fully dry. Look for paints that scored well in sticking resistance to prevent balky windows and knickknacks that stick to shelves.
Lots of sun. Sunlight that floods a room can fade colored paints. Blues and yellows are notorious for fading, though other colors fade, too. Choose brands that resisted fading in our tests and consider colors without yellow tones, which are safer.
Telltale walls. Mudrooms, stairways, and kids' rooms don't get much TLC. Go with low-luster finishes, such as satin, that resist staining and, when stained or scuffed, don't come off when you scrub. Note paints that scored best for changes in gloss level. Significant changes in sheen can be as unsightly as a stain.
Each year, PQI and other industry trend watchers take note of consumer selections and announce the new popular colors of the season. "Neutrals coupled with some of those warm deep tones are fabulous for creating an enveloping living space," said Deborah Zimmer, PQI's expert on decorative paint techniques and color trends. Pastels, especially pale pinks and yellows, are also popular for bedrooms, bathrooms, and sitting areas where you want to create a relaxing environment, Zimmer added.
If you're looking to put some color in your life, or at least your living space, here are some tips on how to choose the right paint for you. See our latest interior paint Ratings (available to ) for more than 50 paints and recommendations.
General tips
What gloss where? Shine is part style, part function. Semigloss paints put a durable finish on trim and shelves. In hallways and kids' rooms, low-luster paints are the best choice because many are very good at resisting stains and most do not scrub off when cleaned. Flat paints are best for low-traffic areas.
Choose the right color. Make the most of color-sampling products and services. Tape sample chips where you will see them in morning, afternoon, and evening light. Try retailers' color-matching computers, but be prepared to spend some time to get the color right. Color intensifies on large areas, so if it's a toss-up between a darker and a lighter shade, go lighter. Gloss level also affects color. Flat paints and textured walls absorb light, so colors seem darker.
Use care with computerized color. You might think that if you use a paint store's computerized color-matching service, it will find the perfect paint, whether you're trying to match tile or existing paint. But a perfect match is elusive, our tests show. We found differences among formulas and mixes, even among stores in the same chain. Computer color matching is worth a try, but don't expect perfection. Most retailers will not give you a refund on a paint you deem a bad match. So ask them to work with you to adjust the tint.
Buy the top of the line. Tested paints are the top of each manufacturer's line. We have found that lower grades do not perform as well.
Be flexible. A color does not have to precisely match the green leaf in the draperies. To look good, it needs only to be in the same color family. Note whether the green has an undertone of yellow or blue. A paint with the same undertone will look good even if it's lighter or darker.
Solutions for problem rooms
The paint you choose depends on your walls. For more tips and recommendations, see our latest interior paint Ratings
(available to subscribers)
.Flawed walls. Whether there's cracked plaster or visible drywall taping, always use paint with a flat finish. A glossier paint will emphasize imperfections.
Drastic color change. Your new house has a purple room and you're an off-white kind of person. Drastic color change, especially light over dark, calls for exceptional hiding ability. Many models in the Ratings
(available to subscribers)
are excellent for hiding with two coats.Blotchy mildew. Paints sometimes contain a mildewcide to prevent mildew in damp bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and the like. Before painting, clean the area with a mild solution of one part chlorine bleach to three parts water. When the area is dry, apply a paint that scored very high for mildew resistance. Consider using an eggshell or semigloss finish instead of a flat finish; should mildew reappear, it may be easier to clean.
Tired trim. Glossy paints are best for doors, baseboards, and other trim because scuffs and stains clean up fairly easily. But some glossy paints remain tacky long after they are fully dry. Look for paints that scored well in sticking resistance to prevent balky windows and knickknacks that stick to shelves.
Lots of sun. Sunlight that floods a room can fade colored paints. Blues and yellows are notorious for fading, though other colors fade, too. Choose brands that resisted fading in our tests and consider colors without yellow tones, which are safer.
Telltale walls. Mudrooms, stairways, and kids' rooms don't get much TLC. Go with low-luster finishes, such as satin, that resist staining and, when stained or scuffed, don't come off when you scrub. Note paints that scored best for changes in gloss level. Significant changes in sheen can be as unsightly as a stain.
