Some of the things that bring us the greatest joy in life also create the biggest messes! Whether your bundles of joy run on two legs or four, they can make it a challenge to keep the house looking great. However, with some strategic paint choices, you can make your house more friendly to kids and pets, and keep it looking nicer.

Choosing Your Interior Paint Colors

We all have seen how dark clothing hides stains better. Did you know that darker paint colors also are less prone to showing fingerprints, smudges, and other “gifts” that our pets and kids tend to leave on the walls?  If you choose a darker color, you will find yourself needing to clean the walls a little less often.

On the other hand, lighter colors offer a different advantage. While they do show surface contaminants more readily, they are also more washable. When you scrub a darker paint color, it can sometimes leave a slight discoloration on that spot, while lighter colors are less inclined to show this kind of evidence.

So, light or dark… you decide! Both offer advantages and setbacks.

How about the Paint Sheen?

Whether you go with light paints or dark, you will inevitably end up washing your walls sometimes. What you need is a paint with a durable “shell” that holds up to scrubbing and keeps looking great. You generally find this in the higher-sheen paints such as satin and semi-gloss. You would typically put semi-gloss on door frames and baseboards, where scuffs and fingerprints are most common, and where the extra reflectiveness is very attractive. Satin goes very nicely on most walls.

Flat paints and other low-sheen options are usually not the best choice for homes with kids and pets, at least for the rooms they frequently inhabit. That is because these paints tend to scuff and stain more easily, and they do not hold up well to washing.

Try out Chair Rail

Chair rail is an attractive piece of trim that runs horizontally along a wall at about waist height. It provides excellent visual interest and definition to a room, but it offers another benefit besides that. The chair rail is designed to protect walls against bumps from chair backs, but it also protects from all kinds of other mishaps.

Another advantage that it offers is that when the lower portion of the wall is showing the effects of time, you can repaint just that section, leaving the upper portion of the wall alone. This reduces the time, effort, and money involved in repainting so that your home can be refreshed when it needs it.

Zero-VOC, Eco-friendly Paints

Another issue to keep in mind for your children and pets is the indoor air quality. Traditional paints release volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) into the air as they dry. By using zero-VOC paints, you can keep the air healthier for you and all your loved ones.

Cherry Hill Painting

Cherry Hill Painting has been serving New Jersey since 1968. We offer high-quality interior and exterior painting services for residential and commercial clients, whether your project is large or small. For excellent customer service, trustworthy painters, and fantastic painting results, trust Cherry Hill Painting!