Here’s the first rule for choosing the best interior paint—buy top quality, top brand paint. These premium paints are proven to give more coverage in fewer coats, often eliminating the need primer.

To pick the right color for your space, grab lots of paint chips, place them on the wall near the trim, and look at during different times of the day to see how light affect the color. When you’re ready to start testing shades, paint sample colors onto sheets of heavy paper instead of the wall so you can move them around and not make a mess of your walls.

Lastly, chose a sheen to match the needs of the space. Flat finishes hide imperfections well and absorb light which can make the paint look darker. Eggshells and satins are tough enough to be used in family rooms, kids' rooms, and hallways but don’t hide surface imperfection well. Semi-Gloss and high-gloss finishes are primarily used for trim because they accentuate woodwork details and clean up easily.