Choosing The Right Interior Paint Finish
I live in a condo built in the 70′s. It is long and narrow with a front door that opens to a narrow hallway with many doors (6). I am getting ready to paint the hallway and have picked a color for the wall, Paladium Blue by Sherwin Williams. I hesitate to paint the doors and trim around them some version of white, because I feel it will just highlight them. Would it be a good idea to paint the doors and trim the same color as the walls? Thanks, Paula
The toughest decision anytime you decorate can be what color to paint a space. Opting for either a crisp white or high pigment paint in a neutral hue will lend an air of sophistication and affluence to the room. Neutral walls allow for the rotation of accent colors seasonally if desired. Another easy trick that really adds that lux finish to a home is to paint interior doors black. It will instantly give the space an expensive vibe; just be sure to tie the doors to the rest of the décor with other uses of black accessories.
Paint is not going to do a good job of hiding dents and dings unless you repair them first; in fact many cases, just painting over an indentation without first repairing it actually makes the defect more noticeable. Standard wood putty applied and sanded according to label directions will do the trick. If the door is badly damaged, however, you may just need to replace it. After repairing any cracks or dings on the door, take a close look at the door trim and molding and repair that as needed also. If you have more than a few simple fills to make on the door, it is best to remove it from the hinges and set it on sawhorses.
Regarding paint primers, I have been in the business long enough to rememberwhen both BIN and KILZ recommended against using their "flagship" products onexterior surfaces except for very small applications such as knot sealing. Kilzhas developed both water-based and oil-based clones that are specificallydesigned for interior or exterior use, and I tend to go with the manufacturer'srecommendations unless I know for sure that they are "blowing steam". Dear NH, A few months ago, I painted some built-in shelves with a few coats ofsemi-gloss latex paint. Even after all this drying time, the books andbric-a-brac still lightly stick to the shelves. Please help! MP from Boulder, CO.