The interiors edit: 5 things you need to know about paint

With so many paint charts, aspirationally named colours and endless paint companies, making decisions can feel overwhelming. And then there’s choosing the right type of paint and finish: which colour white will make your living room cold versus chic; will a dark hue in the already small bathroom be claustrophobic? What about oil versus water-based? Here are a few expert tips to keep in mind before you dive in.

Before you begin...

​“Start by considering the existing elements of a room,” says Kate Gaynor of The Paint Hub. The undertones of your flooring, for example, can help determine your choice. “Choosing a colour with the same undertones as the colours already present in that space will help create a more cohesive space that flows.”

Where the room is located, how it will be used and how it makes you feel are also important in determining what colours work best, according to interior designer Denise O’Connor of Optimise Design.

“Your personality will play a big part when picking a colour to enhance a room’s atmosphere. For example, do you like to entertain a lot or prefer company to spending time alone? Then you’ll likely prefer a vibrant and energised space. If you crave quiet time, you’ll be looking to create a calm and relaxing room,” says Denise.

She also suggests letting the function of the room guide your choices. “The colour you choose to decorate your bedroom, for example, can affect the quality of your sleep.”

If you’re still unsure where to start, Kate advises choosing a piece you love such as a rug or artwork that acts as a colour guide and keeps the look unified.

Once you’ve decided on your colours, do a paint plan so you know which colour is going where and what finish you’re using – it’s invaluable for your decorator and useful to refer back to in the future.

Testing

A common mistake people make is relying on paint charts that are rarely true representations of the shade and alter dramatically depending on the area in the house being painted. On the other hand, camouflaging a wall with countless samples will likely leave you bewildered and dithering back in the magnolia shallows.

“Testing colours on a piece of card that you can move around the room allows you to see it in all aspects of shadow and light,” says Denise.

Better still are peel-and-stick paint samples from new Irish paint brands Alchemist and Kraftsmann Paints, the first of their kind on the Irish market, which act like giant (mess-free) Post-its and can be easily applied to a wall, allowing you to observe how the colour evolves throughout the day, and are easily removed once you’re finished.

If you’re hell-bent on daubing the walls, you can always test the paints behind a picture or curtain so they are not visible all the time. Just ensure you test all walls being painted; according to paint company Little Greene Paints, it’s a common mistake to only sample one wall.

“Once painted, each wall can appear slightly different depending on the direction of natural light and the lighting in the room.”

And don’t forget the fifth wall, the ceiling, often overlooked. Painting it the same colour as the walls can make the room feel more spacious.

Lighting

Natural light does more than illuminate a room; it impacts the colour of the walls at various times of the day. Put simply, if your room is north-facing, it won’t be getting direct sunlight, making it cooler than south-facing rooms and thus affecting whether you may need a warmer undertone for balance.

“Ireland gets a lot of dull, cloudy days, which makes the light soft. Many homes also have darker, north-facing rooms or are light-starved at certain times of year,” notes Denise. So it’s important to identify exactly what kind of light you are working with, she says.

Sunny, south-facing rooms can generally take a large range of shades, as the light they receive is warmer and more plentiful. “A common mistake with dark rooms is to paint them white to brighten them, but this will make them feel clinical. With north-facing rooms, you should try to make them feel cosy, so warm, earthy shades work best.” But don’t be afraid of a dark shade in a dull room either, as it can make the room feel snug.

​Finishes

Things can get a bit bewildering when it comes to paint finishes, especially since every manufacturer has a different way of branding their paints, but there are a few rules of thumb to follow. Durability is a key consideration when painting. Flat, chalky emulsions are good at masking imperfections but mark easily and aren’t so easily cleaned, so are better suited to high-traffic areas like hallways.

Kitchens are best suited to easy-to-clean paint such as gloss, which can withstand splashes. Eggshell, while less durable, reflects light well, creating a soft ambience — good for communal gathering such as a dining or living room, whereas matte, which is virtually shine-free, has a forgiving nature.

“I favour the flat-matte finish for its rich colour and ease of application,” says Kate. “Flat-matte paint offers high pigment concentration, is perfect for vibrant colours, and has a forgiving nature that makes it ideal for DIY projects.”

The finish is really a measure of how much light reflects off a painted surface: the lower the sheen, the less reflective it is. Joe Meaney, managing director of Irish company Kraftsmann Paints, says knowing what surface you are painting and what finish you want to achieve is a good headstart. “Make sure to match the right type of paint to the surface for the best result — lower sheens for walls, higher sheens for woodwork and doors — and choose a quality paint. It will require less coats, will save you money and last longer.”

There’s also the question of water-based versus oil-based, with the general preference being water-based paints for interiors, and whether it has low VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and low odour. Irish brand Mood, for example, is a cruelty-free/vegan-friendly, non-toxic, safe brand with the highest-rate washability rating, and it’s breathable.

Little Greene’s water-based paints also carry the best eco-rating, with almost zero VOCs. Kraftsmann Paints are 100pc acrylic water-based, ultra-low-VOC paint and they come in 2,000 colours.

Colour tips

​If you’ve ever tackled a paint job, then I’m sure you’ve been bamboozled by the sheer number of colour options: 191 shades at Little Greene Paints, 132 at Farrow & Ball, and endless colour-matching options at Dulux. Picking too many can be messy. The trick is to choose no more than three for one room to avoid the space feeling confused.

Choosing a white that will work with all your colours and repeating that same colour throughout the home ensures everything harmonises. Painting skirtings and the inside of doors the same hue as the walls removes the colour breaks, making the space more open and seamless.

“For naturally lit rooms, steer clear of any shade with a hint of pink or peach in it,” advises Denise. These tones are tough to live with, apparently. This is particularly true with neutral shades — magnolia is a classic example — as their warmer tones tend to clash with everything.

“Instead, choose a shade with a slight hint of green, as it has a neutralising effect, meaning most colours will combine well with it. The green also means it will react well in the light that comes with the Irish climate, which tends to be very soft, and in other rooms with little natural light.”

She also advises not choosing a colour because it looks great in a friend’s house. The same colour will look completely different in different light conditions. The colour might not work if your room’s orientation is not the same.

Finally, one of the biggest mistakes people make when painting their homes, according to Denise, is not considering adjacent rooms and how the room works as a whole. “The colours in your home, especially on the same floor, should have a cohesive palette and complement each other.”