Kitchen Paint Selection from Laura Redd

You did it, you have bought your first house, your husband has carried you over the threshold and set you down, and you look around. Now what?  Where to start? The kitchen, of course! The kitchen is the hub of all activity. But what do you do besides plopping in some utensils and a few towels? 

The best and least expensive change you can make is paint!  Look to the counter tops for your inspiration.  Jess and I loved the warm copper tones, and said I'm game for a spicy fun kitchen. We chose Sherwin Williams Autumnal to bring out some of the subtle terra cotta notes from the countertop.

Here are a few things to keep a few things in mind when you pick a color. Lighting plays a big part of how the color will actually look on the walls. Jess and Peter have an interior kitchen with no direct lighting from windows.  When you pick a color for this type of room, you want to go a little lighter because the color will reflect off of itself in corners and long walls, making the color appear darker. Secondly, make sure the color goes with the cabinets; it should be a compliment that shows their quality. 

In addition, make sure the color "flows" from room to room. When you have an open floor plan like Jess and Peter’s, the colors should define each room as you look through the house from front to back, creating layers of color that will be repeated as the house is furnished and decorated.  The current orange in the kitchen is broken up by a bright yellow in the adjacent dining area.  To continue the color flow of the room into this area, the walls of the dining area will be painted Autumnal orange as well.

After you have selected your color, another thing to consider is the finish - flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss or gloss. Most walls are painted in flat, eggshell or satin. Flat is the finish most builders use because it hides the errors in a wall.  Be careful with this finish as flat paint is not washable or wipeable, so when you try to clean your wall it will leave a mark! There is a new paint out that actually is a flat, but acts like an eggshell.  It is a no-sheen with wipeable, but it is a good 1/3 more expensive.

Eggshell is my favorite because it is washable, and adds a little sparkle to the room when lit by candlelight or soft lighting. Satin has just a little more sparkle to it with a soft luster like a pearl.  This is great for a master bedroom or dining room.  Semi-gloss and gloss are great for trim, and the front door to make them really pop out.  We picked out Sherwin Wiliams Extra White in a semi-gloss for Jess & Peter’s trim.

Paint has changed a lot over the past few years especially with the current "green" scheme. Low VOC paints are low in toxic fumes and chemicals that are released into the environment. Also, just the cleanup is a whole lot less stinky. These are incredible paints that really make painting a green-friendly experience.
 

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