Choosing Paint For Your Home? Sheens, Trends, and Tips With Olympia of Sherwin-Williams Paints
Faith Led Interior Design Show | Episode 52
Do you often find yourself stuck when choosing the right paint for your home interior, unsure what colors to pick or which sheen would suit your walls best?
To help you ease your confusion, I invited Olympia from Sherwin-Williams Paints. She talks about their color tools --- the Color Snap App --- and a wide array of color samples. These tools take the guesswork of selecting the perfect shade for your room. The Color Snap App, in particular, allows you to virtually test colors in your space, saving you the trouble of purchasing numerous samples. Olympia Also emphasizes the importance of understanding sheen and how it can drastically alter the appearance of a color on different surfaces.
What are you waiting for? Say goodbye to the confusion of paint selection and welcome a harmonious blend of colors that resonate with your heart and soul. Tune in!
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Choosing Paint For Your Home? Sheens, Trends, and Tips With Olympia of Sherwin-Williams Paints
About the Guest
Olympia is the designer and architect executive representative of Sherwon-Williams Paints.
She graduated with a bachelor's degree in International Business and Marketing at Cal Poly Pomona. After graduation, she went ahead and worked in the stores where she managed two stores in Orange County.
Now, she is actually the county executive for designers and architects, mostly for residential. She covers greater LA Orange County and Santa Barbara. She has a little bit of diversity in a lot of color management and in the design industry as well.
Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
Here is my conversation with Olympia:
Color Tools and Paint Selection
Sheree: So can you tell us a little bit about Sherwin Williams Paints? I know you have some color programs. Maybe you can go over those with us?
Olympia: Yes, so we actually have a ton of color tools that we offer, whether it's our Color Snap App or color samples.
Our color samples are 8 by 11, 4 by 4, and come in a variety of colors. We also have our new Peel and Sticks as well, which we offer in-store and online. If you google Sherwin Williams color samples, you'll find them.
We also have our sheen guide which we actually just launched. This has made it so much easier for homeowners and designers in the paint industry to figure out what sheens are best to use on your walls.
And so a little bit more on the Snap Color App though. I call it our online rendering program. This is where you take a snapshot of your wall and you can play with the colors. Instead of buying so many samples in-store, or trying to figure out what undertones fit your room, you can take a picture and play with the colors. Once you're done, you can order your samples online. It just makes the process a lot easier. Much simpler for you.
Sheree: Okay, so in that case, you take a picture of your room, you upload it to your Sherwin Williams site, and then you can choose colors and it makes your room that color.
I have tried it. It is really fun and helpful!
What about the furniture in the picture you are uploading?
Olympia: The furniture will still be there. That's the cool part. You take the snap of your living room and you will play with all the colors and it will give you that true color.
Sheree: Very cool!!!
Olympia: It shows you and gives you a better understanding of what your room will look like.
Obviously, an online image might vary from the actual reality of the room, but it just puts you in a better spot. That is because you will know a little bit more than just going to the store and just looking at a ton of colors, and not knowing what those colors will look like on your wall or in your room.
And another cool part about the actual app is sometimes you have area rugs, or textiles that you want to match as well. You could take a picture of the actual rug or a pillow or fabric and the app will give you suggestions for a variety of complementary colors. You can actually select from the lighter side to the darker side as well.
Sheree: I love that and it is so helpful! So, it is the same program or is that a different program for the room?
Olympia: It's the same app. You can get the app from a phone, laptop, and iPad as well. The app’s name again is Color Snap.
Sheree: Yes, that is such a great tool to use, helps take the guesswork out.
But, one thing we want to be sure of and let people know is that you must try these colors in your home, paint actual paint samples on the wall, or use your peel-and-stick samples before you actually paint the whole room.
That is painting 101.
Sheree: As Olympia mentioned Sherwin Williams has Peel and Stick samples. I love those!
I usually get three or four of the same color. That way I can put them on different walls in the same room. I can see them in different lights, on different walls, at different times of the day. I want to do this because each wall has a different light on it. You can determine if you love the color in all different lights, morning, noon, and evening, and also with your different room lighting.
So be sure and do the sampling. Before you paint the whole room. I recommend the peel-and-stick because they can be moved around. They're easy and they're big. They're the size of a sheet of paper size, right?
Olympia: In addition to what you just said, it's important to look at the color during the day, afternoon, and night because of the lighting.
So that's another cool thing you can just pull off the actual paint sample and then just move it around. So yes it’s great.
Photo by Katja Rooke on Unsplash
What Is Sheen, and Why It Is Important
Sheree: Okay, and you mentioned sheen's. Maybe you can speak more about the sheen's and how a person picking paint would determine which one they would maybe want to use.
Olympia: Yes, I know a lot of customers are not sure what exactly the Sheen is. It is the amount of light reflected on the wall. So independent from the actual colors, what I'm trying to say is that it's important to understand why sheens are important. It is because when selecting a color it can change from surface to surface.
So, for example, a dark pink color and a glossy finish in pure light, versus a dark color and a matte finish in the same light, may seem darker, so it varies based on the sheens.
So each surface, let's say a cabinet, a glossy cabinet might be different from the actual surface of the wall. If painted the same color they may appear different colors if painted in different sheens.
So that's why sheen is important. We have a variety of sheens, starting from flat mat to eggshell satin, from semi-gloss to gloss and all these sheens can be different from different competitors.
So that's another thing that is so important is to understand that each color might be different from another paint store, versus our color. It may be the same color name, but a different color, so be very careful.
So it's important to understand all that because of the process, especially if you're working with a contractor. It's very, very important to understand what color you are choosing and from what paint store you're getting that color. You want to make sure to have the true results that you're actually expecting.
And one more thing.
I know historically, the shinier the surface it is, the more washable it is. But now due to technology, we do have a washable matte black (and also other colors) so it will give you washable results.
Sheree: And what's that called? Washable matte and flat are two different names.
Olympia: Our washable flat has two top premium products which are Duration and Emerald. It offers a washable matte and flat which gives you better compatibility. This is what I mean when I say cleanability. All you have to do is use soap and water and you clean the surfaces.
And I understand that sometimes the flatter the surfaces the more friction there is so it'll be harder to wipe off, but it's still possible to wipe off the stains and all those imperfections on the wall as well.
Sheree: Wow! Yes, I love that. I love the matte finishes myself. And so that's really huge because a lot of times people really are thinking, well maybe I should use eggshell or something else to be more washable, but the Emerald line solves that problem.
So even in kitchens that are open we still can use the flat on the walls.
But are the high glosses more popular now? I mean I feel that way as I'm looking at things but what are you seeing in your company stats?
Olympia: So traditionally, semi-gloss will always be the most popular for trends, doors, and cabinets, just because it's been a tradition. If you talk to anybody or even a homeowner or contractor, they will give you the idea that semi-gloss is for trims and doors.
But due to a lot of modernization, some customers are leaning more towards matte black. Because they like the whole minimalistic look. They don't want any lighting to reflect or anything.
But then you have others that are more into other trends. I see a lot of '60s trends right now. They want the glossy kind of look on the cabinets. Or, they want something to pop out more versus something that's just very minimal.
So I’ve seen a lot of trends, especially in color forecasting.
I see this past year was more on the minimalistic kind of Terra. Terra has a feeling of more earthy tones.
Now I'm also seeing colors leaning more towards Barbie pink or you know, bright reds and bright blue. You are seeing a lot of change. This is due to, I mean, it has a lot to do with fashion and economy and what people are feeling at the moment.
I would say right now, the sheen, depends on the person.
Photo by Hutomo Abrianto on Unsplash
Paint Finishes and Priming for Better Results
Sheree: How about priming your walls?
Olympia: Yes, so why does priming the walls even exist?
The main reason why priming exists is obviously to cover stains. Or if it's a very dark color wall and you're trying to switch it to a lighter color, it is best to prime first and then two coats of paint are best.
The main reason is that it'll just make the process a lot easier.
But there's also the other reason why to prime your walls, is brand new drywall that you might need to seal. So we have primer and sealer choices.
You might want to cover, let's say, a fire stain.
So all the little things, the reason why it's so important to prime is because you want an undercoat to give you the best result of the color. We call it the true color. It'll just give you better results.
So the same thing when you use nail polish. You want to have that level surface where there is not a stain or not imperfection that stands out. We just want to make sure that everything's the same for the true color to be the same. So it's more of a beautifying way to give you the true color for the wall.
But obviously, we have primers, especially for metal. Duration can be applied on a handful more surfaces than SuperPaint – such as steel, aluminum, vinyl, and wood siding and trim. It typically lasts for about 8-10 years as well.
You may want to cover even deeper stains, it just depends on what the customer needs. That's the reason why primers are important and never skip the primer step.
Do not skip it unless you're painting over a white wall. I mean, that's probably the exception. But other than that, if it's brand new drywall, prime, or if it's a dark color, prime. Because that will give you the same color that you selected.
Sheree: Right. That's a really good point because you might be disappointed with the color if you don't prime it. That's great, great advice. Absolutely. So if you're priming I'm just asking for clarification: Do you still need two coats of paint or is it prime plus one coat of paint?
Olympia: Usually, the right step is prime plus two coats. For the reasons mentioned before.
Especially with darker colors, due to the way that it's formulated, you will need to do two coats because the base of the product will be more transparent.
If it is a white base, you can get away with one coat of white or a lighter color, versus a darker color.
But always, the right way is to paint two coats depending on the surface as that will give you the best results.
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
Paint Application and Warranties
Sheree: Okay! Do you have warranties on your paints?
Olympia: We do. So most of our paints will have a lifetime warranty, especially our premium products. We do have an exception for some of our contractor-grade products that are more on the 10-year warranty, but that's due to the contractor paint being different from more premium products.
That is just because it's the surface always getting repainted versus a brand new home that you paint. You're most likely going to have that color or that paint on the wall for years.
So our premium products do have a lifetime warranty and this is all depending on the maintenance. I mean, obviously, you have to maintain it. You have to make sure you prep it right and use the right primer.
Your painter should clean the walls. So it really depends on the process. You will get a better result if the process is done right versus cutting corners.
But we do have a warranty and the warranty includes blistering, bubbling, and all that. I mean, there could be a variety of reasons why the paint might be defective. Or even the application might have been done wrong. So we do offer that warranty and obviously, it'll have to go through Sherwin Williams.
Sheree: Yes, of course.
Olympia: The manager of the store will listen and they'll guide you. They'll tell you, "Hey, maybe you used the wrong brush. Maybe you need this primer or maybe something else".
So it'll be a conversation where the customer will leave the store more knowledgeable and that will just make the whole process easier and more comforting for the person that goes into the store worried.
Painting is a difficult conversation because we don't learn until we're actually in that position.
Sheree: I think that's really good to know.
Yes! Well, paint is complicated. I mean, it is not an easy subject.
Choosing paint colors has so much to do with light in your room.
That’s why we're really telling people to test it in the lighting of your room.
Photo by JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash
Color Trends in Interior Design
Sheree: We want to know a little bit more about trends. Can you speak maybe a little bit more about trends?
Olympia: Yes, so we did mention that we have our color mix every year. We forecast colors. We take data and create our own color palette, and it changes every year.
This year. I mentioned that it was called Terra, which is very connected to Earth. Nature, rocks, flowers, just nature in general.
And now trends are slowly changing to other trends that are the complete opposite.
In this case, I brought up Barbie pink or you know darker colors are more reserved.
So trends are constantly changing depending on our needs and how our behaviors are changing and based on everything in general.
This year, it was mainly all about nature.
Personally, I have plants in my home. I want to feel nature. Especially after the past years that have been very difficult.
We were in touch more with wanting to feel nature but inside our homes.
So it's just changing now. You will see that the trends are changing more now because we're coming outside. Or, we want to be outside more and expose ourselves more. So it's just interesting to see.
We have our top colors. Our trim colors are whites like Pure White, Extra White, and Alabaster. These colors are still used a lot commonly.
Also, we do have our pop-up colors that are coming back as well. Like I said, we have our Smoky Blue, we have our Caviar colors. We have our, I think it's called stop, our Stop Red that's just so bright red.
So those trends just vary but we do have our traditional top 50 colors.
The top 50 are safe colors and are still trending because they're on the safer side. But it's always fun to kind of change up a little bit, even add an accent color and just make it bright blue or you know, bright pink so it's nice.
Sheree: I noticed on the top 50 that Agreeable Gray is your number one color. I think that one is used so much because it can go with a warm or cool base color.
Olympia: Yes, it is a very flexible color. And I see it a lot in new residential, you know, and apartments. I mean, it's just because it gives you that flexibility.
I mean, you have customers with all kinds of personalities.
Some are into pink or blue for more calming or darker colors that are more reserved.
So those trends are constantly changing, depending on our needs. And how our behaviors are changing and just everything in general.
Sheree: Right, oh yes, those are going to be your popular whites - Pure White, Extra White, Alabaster, Dover White, and Snowbound are the top five whites.
So well. I really appreciate all your information. It's been really a lot of input and very informative. I will be in touch and use your products because I love them.
And again, you've been just wonderful! Thank you so much!
Olympia: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
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