Bedroom Paint

Bedroom paint is a sensitive subject.

In dealing with paint in other rooms--living rooms, kitchens, dens, offices, and so on--it's often a simple slam-dunk. Got a kitchen? Splash a little sunshine-yellow on the walls and be done with it.

But bedrooms are places where intimate activities happen. We make love, we read, we relax, and yes, we even sleep in our bedrooms. And if you're like me--an insomniac--then the bedroom paint is a highly charged issue.

Take the Feng Shui Angle?

Frankly, it doesn't matter if you are a feng shui adherent or not. Either way, many of the basic approaches to bedroom paint espoused by feng shui make perfect sense.

Now, let me say here that not all bedroom decorators go by this approach; it's just one way to do it. About.com's own Rodika Tchi advises homeowners to limit the color spectrum from "from pale white to rich chocolate brown." This also implies the exclusion of bedroom paint colors outside of this spectrum, such as reds, oranges, and yellows.

Bedroom Paint Color Families: The Safe Approach

• Neutrals
• Blues
• Browns
• Greens

So, let's assume that we're taking the "relaxing bedroom" approach. "Neutrals," admittedly, is a loaded term: it implies that the color is undecided. Neutrals can mean anything from snowy whites to off-whites to light beiges. Always a safe color decision, blues in the bedroom are nearly always relaxing. Just be careful not to choose any high-intensity blues.

Bedroom Paint Color Families: The Bold Approach

What do you risk when you juice up your paint colors into the reds, oranges, and yellows? Loss of sleep? Or maybe a super-charged sex life?

Bedroom Paint Finishes

With bedroom paint finish, gloss--or the lack thereof--is the main issue. Glossy and semi-glossy finishes work well in rooms where you need the ability to wipe down the surface or where moisture is a factor. So, you might find semi-gloss in childrens' bedrooms, bathrooms, or on trim, but rarely on the walls of a master suite.

Reflections are another issue with finish. Matte and eggshell finishes control light-bounce better than the glossier finishes. So, bedroom paint finishes in order, from most desirable to least:

• Eggshell - A smidge of gloss in an otherwise flat finish. Perfect for bedrooms.
• Flat - Flat finish paint does a great job of controlling light, but it is impossible to wipe down.
• Semi-Gloss - If you must have gloss, this is the way to go. But you'll want to keep the colors muted and darker to lessen the light intensity.
• Gloss - This finish is rarely found in bedrooms (except on trim).