PICKING PAINTS

While realising your home needs a new coat of paint is a relatively easy task, knowing what type of paint to use can become a bit more complicated.

Certain finishes work better in some rooms (and for some purposes) than in others.

Here are some things to consider when choosing a finish for the room you’d like to give a facelift:

KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS

A semi–gloss finish will stand up to some scrubbing, so is well–suited to wet and messy areas, like kitchens and bathrooms.

However, due to its reflective qualities, imperfections in the wall will be more visible.

BEDROOMS, DINING ROOMS AND HALLWAYS

Paints with a satin or eggshell finish are slightly more glossy than their flat counterparts and are a bit more durable.

They are therefore more suited to medium–to–high traffic areas where a high sheen would be undesirable.

Used interchangeably, an eggshell finish provides a low lustre (like the shell of an egg) and a satin finish gives the walls a smooth, velvety look. CEILINGS

A paint with a flat finish isn’t very reflective (so it’s great for covering noticeable surface imperfections), but doesn’t clean well (which means that dirty fingerprints will need to be painted over).

These characteristics make it a great option for ceilings.

It is also relatively inexpensive, which is a bonus.

TRIM SURFACES

High–gloss finishes are commonly used to paint door frames, window frames and even fireplaces.

These paints are particularly durable and will stand up well to rough treatment.

When painting kitchen cabinets and bedroom doors, a high–gloss finish will be easy to clean, but will show up any imperfections (scrapes and bumps) clearly.