In my Create a Healthy & Restful Home series this week, I focus on lightening up your home with a fresh and lighter paint color. If you have not painted in many years, your walls and ceiling may appear drab. If your home is dark, with predominately dark furniture, a lighter paint color quickly offers a peaceful and fresh feeling to a room.
Pick a light neutral paint color if you are unsure where to start. Using a neutral paint color makes it easy to blend furniture styles and add new complementary or pop colors for a fresh style.
Reference my series on Paints Tips to understand the steps in a paint project:
- Understanding Paint Color, Undertones, and Sheen
- How to Pick a Paint Color
- How to Complete Your Paint Project
How to Pick Healthy Paint
In my last article in the Restful Home series with Plants, I discussed VOCs (Volatile organic compounds); paint is one of the home products that can emit VOCs. There are independent sources that test and certify what is in paint to help guide us when trying to purchase healthy paint for our home. If you have a favorite paint line, go to their website, and research their low to zero VOC interior paint options.
Understanding Certifications
The Greenguard Certification, according to Underwriters Laboratories, a global safety certification company, says:
If a product has been GREENGUARD Certified, it has been tested and scientifically proven to have low chemical emissions.” “It’s guaranteed to give off only low levels of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
UL.com
The Green Seal standard certifies that paints meet strict environmental VOC limits and use safer chemicals. Look for these certifications when researching paint, as many manufacturers offer low or zero VOC paint options.
Resources:
- Low or No VOC Paint
- Sherwin Williams Harmony Paint Line, Zero VOC
- Benjamin Moore ECO Spec, Zero VOC
- Behr Premium Plus, Zero VOC
- Valspar Reserve, Low VOC
- Healthy Alternative Paints
- Consumer Reports, Paint Ratings
Have fun creating a healthy and restful home with your fresh paint! If you need help picking the perfect color, call me at 610-955-8202 for a Color Consultation!
By Debbie Correale, Redesign Right, LLC. Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Houzz, and LinkedIn. Feature photo licensed from Shutterstock.