When you choose the appropriate interior paint colors for your home, you can revitalize every element of your home through color. Walls, ceilings, doors, paneling and trim – all can contribute to minimizing “flaws” in your home and accenting those features that add serious make your home look it’s best.

Whenever you are looking at repainting, consider how your paint choices will combine with existing furniture, the tones of your wood, or color of soft furnishings for expensive items. It’s best if you take your existing colors into accounts when looking at paint, so long as this approach doesn’t keep you from doing something you really want.

Today’s interior designers often recommend an accent wall – this is a wall painted in a strong color which sets the tone for the room. Accent walls give the perception of depth, color variety, interest and command attention.

If you’re wondering where to go for help on color choices, we’re just about to put together a guide on just that very thing! It will be ready in January 2012. If you can’t wait, head over to Amazon.com and take a look at my best picks.

There are thousands of color combinations available, yet your choices don’t stop there. The multiple paint sheens available also add to the many effects you can accomplish with interior paint. Books can’t always show the difference in sheen, so that’s where you ask a professional painter their opinion. They will help you take into account how the space is used and choose a sheen which matches you needs perfectly.

Selecting a color scheme for the interior of your home can be a difficult process. Picking colors from a swatch and trying to visualize what would look best on your ceilings and walls is certainly not easy. But instead of focusing purely on how the colors will make your home look, have you ever thought about a color may make a room look bigger, or how a color may make you feel?

Did you know the effect on space that warm and cool colors can have? Warm colors, such as red, orange and yellow can make give a room more vibrance and make it look cozier. Have a large room that is lacking an intimate feel? Consider using interior painting techniques to use warm colors to create a more intimate setting. On the other side, cooler colors, such as blue, purple and green can open a room up and make it appear larger. Try using interior painting to open up a smaller room such as a bedroom or an office with cooler colors.

Of course, there are different shades of each color you can consider, for instance you don’t need to paint your living room pure bright yellow to make it cozier, or pure blue to open up a room. You can also mix and match warm and cool colors to create an interesting feel in a room.

Colors can also have an impact on our feelings and emotions. Warmer colors can make you feel more energetic, cheery, and adventurous. Cooler colors can make you feel calm, relaxed and focused. Using interior painting to enhance energy in the living room, or calm and relaxation in the bedroom is a small step you can take to set the tone you want in each room. This is especially important in a place like Portland, where mood can be negatively effected by the not so cheery weather that frequently comes our way.

If you’re  looking for a quick, effective way to update tired and worn kitchen cabinets without having to deal with disruptive, expensive kitchen remodeling effort, consider cabinet refacing or resurfacing. Cabinet refinishing can be a way to trim overall costs while completing a facelift that alters the way you and others view your kitchen.

Most people have cabinets which are still in good working condition but look the worse for wear. Cabinet refinishing can cost you upwards of $2,000 and $3,000, depending on the number of cabinet doors and drawer fronts you own. On the positive side, a cabinet project of this scale can save you thousands of dollars less than an entire kitchen remodeling effort.  Yes, we did say thousands.

Steps in cabinet refacing

A refacing effort can be completed in a couple of days. That means you won’t be without your kitchen for very long at all.  The money you save in refacing (rather than replacing) cabinets can go toward other projects on your home improvements list.

The basic steps for a cabinet makeover include cleaning the cabinets, removing doors and hardware, stripping old finishes, repairing nicks and scratches, sanding and adding new paint or stain.  You have the option of adding new veneers, laminates, wood ornaments and hardware, such as hinges, pulls, and knobs.

Once you start making changes, there are few limits (beyond financial ones) to the breadth of ideas that complete your home and add lasting value.

Architectural paints are generally split into two categories: water-based and oil-based.  Oil-based paints are sometimes referred to as solvent-based and water-based paints as latex paints. VOCs are in all oil-based paints as solvents. Many latex paints also contain some VOC as part of their paint chemistry.  VOCs are chemicals that easily evaporate during the application and curing of paints. Once paint is applied, the carrier evaporates leaving behind a solid coating.

Volatile Organic Compounds are toxic chemicals that easily evaporate into the air and accumulate in the indoor environment where you breathe. VOCs can also escape into the atmosphere and form smog. When inhaled, these chemicals can cause a variety of health problems like nausea, dizziness, irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, and more serious illnesses including heart, lung or kidney damage and even cancer. Many people are particularly susceptible to these effects, including those with weakened immune systems or chemical sensitivities, asthmatics, young children and the elderly.

Newer formulations contain more paint solids and less VOCs, and there is a shift away from oil-based to water-based or latex paints. Because they do not use solvents as the primary carrier, latex paints emit far fewer VOCs upon application. Latex paint requires only water, not toxic solvents for the cleaning of tools and equipment.  Lastly, fungicides and preservatives are added to latex paints to combat mildew.

Purchasing paints with no or low-VOC will result in improved air quality both indoors and out.  A big benefit for many companies that choose no or low-VOC paint is the reduction in paint related odors and associated complaints from building occupants and visitors.  This results in less down time for businesses and reduced liabilities.

Talk to us before you buy your paint. We know the best brands and can offer suggestions which are just right for your project.