Paints & Finishes

Learn how to clean walls with flat paint by using the right tools and techniques to keep them looking fresh and spotless.

It takes a bit of daring but, under the right conditions, painting a room a wildly unexpected color can pay off in a major way. From deep dark tones to eye-popping brights, a well-chosen bold shade can make small rooms appear bigger, create coziness in a vast space, and add a dash of completely personal stand-out style to any blank wall.

Looking to take your design project to the next level? Skip the basic ceiling white and opt for one of these designer hues overhead.

Beiges, whites, and taupes will always have their place in home decor, but more recently, a spectrum of less-expected hues have been drafted for use as neutral wall colors. These paint choices manage to provide an understated backdrop for a room while adding more than a hint of style. Ready to venture beyond biscuit? Here are 9 colors to consider.

Blue is one of the world’s most popular colors. Taking its inspiration from the sea and sky, it represents peace and tranquility, relaxation and well-being; qualities that make it the perfect color choice for bedrooms. Here are 13 blue hues to consider for your own room.

As they grow up, kids change their ideas about their favorite color about as often as they change their socks. So how is a parent to choose what color to paint a kid’s room? While a soft blue might be your idea of the perfect backdrop for a crib, by the time your child has any input, he may well deem it too “babyish.” Instead, choose a color that your kids can grow with, and focus on swapping linens and accessories out as they mature. Your kids’ ideas about what color to paint their rooms may not be quite up your alley. But try hard to let them have input! It will give them a sense of ownership. With any luck, that will translate into good stewardship—perhaps even in the form of keeping the rooms clean. If they choose bold colors you think may overwhelm the room, compromise by using them as accents on one wall, as a border, or as the backing to a bookshelf. And painting trim and ceilings isn’t off-limits; these don’t have to be white. Looking to start off strong? Before you settle on an idea for the color of your kids’ rooms, click through these seven favorite paint jobs for bright ideas that are sure to stay in style.

We compared two hugely popular paint brands on their value, thickness, color offerings, and more.

Painting may be one of the quickest and easiest ways to transform a room. Color affects our mood like almost no other design element. To that end, your bedroom paint colors may be among the most important design choices in your home. In general, warm colors are more stimulating. So, a yellow bedroom or a purple bedroom will set an invigorating tone. A red bedroom inspires passion. Cooler colors, like blues, greens, and grays, are more calming. A blue bedroom evokes tranquility. A green bedroom is grounding. A gray bedroom signals stability and strength. Lighter shades, like pastels and whites, can help a small room feel larger. Beyond the clean and peaceful sense a white bedroom brings, it also gives you design flexibility. Add color to a white bedroom with bedding and accents, and you can easily swap them for something new as trends and your tastes change. If you love a bold color, but are concerned it could be overpowering, paint one wall with it as an accent. After all, it’s just paint, and it’s easy to change. Of all spaces in the home, the bedroom is the most personal. So, the best bedroom colors for you will reflect your temperament and make you feel happy and relaxed. Whether you want to inspire serenity, vitality, or romance, these bedroom color ideas will help you set the tone of your bedroom and create the space of your dreams.

If there’s one word you want to be able to use to describe your home—especially in the winter—it’s “cozy.” To cultivate a comfortable and cozy environment, a good way to start is by warming up the paint color on your walls. Warm, saturated colors can make even large, bright spaces feel snug and homey. Looking to transform your home into a comfy, soothing oasis? Just choose one of these 14 paint colors that can make any room feel instantly cozy.

Bring back your favorite decade—but with a twist—by coating a few walls with one of these 7 retro colors that have been remixed for the 21st century.