Choosing the right paint for your walls

The type of paint and sheen will affect how easy the walls are to keep clean and how long the paint will last.  Paint color, of course, will only matter as far as what effect you want the room appearance to have.

The hardest decision is going to be choosing the right color for your rooms.  This is going to depend a lot on the type of lighting that is going to be in the room and what impression you'd like to give.  If you're just about to sell a house, or if you want to draw attention to the things in the room, don't be afraid to go with a regular white or off-white color.  This will make the room look clean and bright and can definitely make it easier to sell.

If you do not have a high amount of lighting for the room, then you should be looking at lighter colors for the walls.  Light colors will make the room seem bigger and brighter.  If you really want to use a darker color for the room, you should think about going with a lighter version of that color (or a complementary color) and using the darker color for accents or trim.

"Cool" colors are ideal for relaxing rooms.  Bedrooms do well when they are painted in blues, purples, or greens.  Warmer colors are better for more active rooms, so a warm pink or cream color might be a good choice for a living room or den.

There are two main types of paint - latex and oil based.  Oil based paints are best for wood walls and trim if you are worried about staining or otherwise sealing the wood off.  Oil paints will not mix with water and might be best if you are worried about moisture getting into your walls.  With that exception, however, latex paints are superior for homes.  The reason for this is that the latex paints will not peel and should be easier to clean.

 Finally, the sheen that you choose is up to you.  Keep in mind that the glossier the paint is, the easier it will be to clean.  Therefore, using matte paint is a good idea for rooms in which the walls will not be touched often.  For children's rooms or other places where the walls are likely to get dirty, you should go with a glossier paint.