- 1). Go to a paint center and either check out a paint fandeck -- which has the entire color palette of a paint line -- or take a paint color chip home and decide what color fits your home, personal style and decor. While most companies have online color palettes, these colors don't give a good representation of color or gloss level.
- 2). Decide what sheen level is appropriate for your application. Flat paint is great for walls and ceilings in bathrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and other areas where you won't need to scrub very often.
Satin or eggshell sheen is very similar to flat and can go anywhere a flat paint would, but it dries much harder and is better suited for use in a children's bedroom, a hallway or other areas where accidents might happen.
Semi-gloss paint is very water and grease resistant and makes a perfect paint for bathrooms, kitchens and other rooms that are scrubbed regularly.
High-gloss paint is the toughest sheen, and holds up well in bathrooms and kitchens, but most people find it too shiny and only use it for trim, cabinets and furniture. - 3). Purchase a quart of the color and sheen you choose, in the brand you are going to paint with. Remember that every company's sheen levels are different. Don't test with one paint and then decide to change the brand and expect the gloss to be the same.
- 4). Take the quart home and paint a sizable sample on a wall where you eventually plan to use the paint. Remember that many companies offer small paint samples that are less expensive than quarts, but they only come in one sheen, which means you won't be able to judge the paint's gloss characteristics.
- 5). Wait for the paint to dry completely, following the instructions on the quart. Once the paint has cured, you can check what the gloss of the paint will look like in your home.
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