Architectural Digest: 4 Essential Questions to Ask To Find the Right Paint for You

"“Sticking with the same sheen for your walls throughout an entire home is key to creating visual continuity and consistency, no matter how many colors you’re using,” says architect Cathy Purple Cherry of Purple Cherry Architects in Annapolis, Maryland. Tanya Selway, partner at Stelly Selway, an interior design studio with offices in London and Austin, relies on paint to infuse a historic bungalow with contemporary flair by painting both the walls and joinery in the same color.

To create a cohesive scheme, Selway pulls colors from an item you already love, say a patterned pillow. To keep from going bonkers over swatches, she suggests narrowing down to a small set of a single color, then reviewing in different light settings—dusk, dawn, and dim light.

Selway used a blue eggshell paint in a Hollywood dining room to create unity by painting both the walls and the shelving system. The just-there sheen took the already pacifying color and enhanced the coziness factor with its delicate finish.

This silky sheen has an almost pearl-like luster that not only looks posh, but helps protect against moisture and mildew—making it a top contender for kitchens and bathrooms. From a design perspective, the polished finish helps create continuity between the crown molding and the walls, if painted the same color, Selway explains. “It’s a way to maintain old-world character and its native architectural elements, but bringing it to a new century,” she adds.