You walk up to the paint counter with the perfect, thoroughly researched color selected. You’re ready to grab a few gallons and finally get your project started. But when asked, “Which sheen would you like?” you’re thrown into a new cycle of exploration and research to determine the perfect finish for your soon-to-be perfect space.
When choosing a sheen, I think about the effect I’d like it to have on the rest of my space. The color and finish of a room can make a big impact on the overall feel of the space. Have you looked up recently? What color is your ceiling? Painting our ceilings, or the “fifth wall,” often get overlooked. Think about how it feels in a room with low, dark ceilings; the entire space seems smaller than it is – a less-than-ideal design situation. By adding color and shine to your ceiling, you can give the room a completely different look. When deciding to transform my own living room, I knew I wanted to make it feel more spacious. By painting the walls Feng Shui S370-2 and finishing the room with Polar Bear 75 in high-gloss on the ceiling, it enabled the surface to reflect the natural light the room receives, making it feel even larger.
Even small touches of a high-gloss finish in a project can make a dramatic impact on a space. When paired with a bold color, a high-gloss finish can make furniture or trim pop and create an interesting focal point in a space. Using high-gloss finish in Extreme S530-6 on the trim in this living room draws your eyes to the large windows, letting in light that bounces around the entire space. And because painting the same color in two different sheens adds a subtle elegance to any project, the walls are the same color in matte. This ties the entire space together without the mundane feeling that a monochrome room can sometimes create.
Sheens are often left out of the paint conversation, leaving some of us confused about which one goes with which project. Approach the paint counter with confidence and receive helpful sheen tips like these during the BEHR® Color Clinic, March 14-16, 2018. Along with your favorite DIY influencers and other BEHR color experts, I’ll be live on BEHR’s Facebook and Instagram channels answering your most pressing paint questions throughout the three-day event. Include #BEHRColorClinicSweepstakes with your comment for a chance to have your color question answered and be entered to win a $450 gift card to The Home Depot®.
Colorfully Yours,
Erika
