Introduction:
Hello, welcome to Exterior and Interior Painting Specialists blog! Today we are going to go over some simple tips and tricks to help you spruce up your home on a budget! We are going to help you pick out colors and finishes, as well as sharing our entire cabinet painting process! If you are doing the cabinets yourself and don’t have an airless sprayer to use, you can still use our entire process by brushing or rolling! Check out our table of contents below to see everything we go over! Call or text us at 309-349-7021 for a free estimate!
Click here to see our detailed 3 day cabinet painting process!
Table of contents:
- Color snap from Sherwin-Williams
- Ways to choose colors
- “The Eye” from Sherwin-Williams
- Kitchen styles
- Different finishes/sheens
- Best finish for where
- Projects
- What we use
- Low Budget tips
- Conclusion

Sherwin-Williams has an app that you can download!
Use ColorSnap® Visualizer for Web, Mobile, or iPad to capture colors from your surrounding and match them to Sherwin-Williams paint colors. Explore over 1,500 colors to get inspiration from a photo. Virtually paint your rooms with ColorSnap® Visualizer for Web and iPad.
The app allows you to browse their color selection and save your favorites! To make it even better, you can take a picture of whatever you’re painting (Cabinets, Walls, Furniture, etc.) and drag the color you want to see up there to picture it before actually dedicating to the color!
Keep this app in mind as you read through our helpful tips!
Ways to choose colors:
1) Choose a Color Scheme From the Largest Pattern in the Space:
2) Start With the Formal Areas of the House:
3) Use the Color Wheel:

4) Back to Black:
5) Go With Grays:
6) Use the Rule of 60-30-10:

7) Make Small Spaces Pop:
8) Contrast Warm and Cool:
9) Rock a Monochromatic Look

10) Follow the Rule of Three:
11) Elegant look:
12) Vibrant look:
13) Ceilings:

Bonus Tips:
If you go somewhere and like a color you see, or you like a color already in your home, they make a tool that can scan the wall and pop up different options! This is called “The Eye” and you can purchase it at your local Sherwin-Williams! You download an app on your phone called “Muse” it will save your previous scans and shows you the closest color from any maker.

- The first look is just a typical repaint. Updating your kitchen with a fresh coat of paint can take your kitchen cave and turn it into an elegant hangout. Currently one of the most popular colors is a shade of grey. You can refresh with the same color you had before or make it any color you would like!

2. Another way to give your kitchen its own personality is by having one of the detached sections an accent color while keeping the rest of the cabinets the same. It’s a way of having an accent without drawing too much attention away.

3. Another new up and coming look is accenting the island. Something about the center of the room being a darker color than the rest brings it all together. It gives the heart of the home its own heart.

4. Having the top a lighter color and the bottom a darker color. This nice accent separates the room in a nice clean line. It brings a sophisticated feel to the room. If you are feeling really rebellious, you can have the top cabinets the darker color.

Different finishes(Sheen):
- High Gloss: Most durable and reflects the most light. Will show any/all imperfections.
- Semi-Gloss: Easy to wipe off and clean. Shiny but not as shiny as high-gloss. Will show major imperfections but not all.
- Satin: Easy to clean doesn’t reflect a lot of light but doesn’t absorb the light.
- Eggshell: Soft, velvety look. Resists stains but you may need to scrub a little. There is no shine to this finish.
- Flat/Matte: There is no shine to this finish and it absorbs the light. Best for hiding imperfections in walls but is hard to clean, it may need painted over if it gets dirty enough.

What finish is best for where:
- High Gloss: Best for high traffic areas (Cabinets, Trim, Doors) Not good for most walls.
- Semi-gloss: Good for wet rooms (Kitchen, bathroom)
- Satin: Good for family rooms, foyers, halls and children’s rooms.
- Eggshell: Great for the dining room and living room.
- Flat/Matte: Good for adults rooms and ceilings. Not recommended for children’s rooms or high traffic areas.

Click here for help deciding to replace or repaint your siding!
Check out some projects below!

Before
Springfield

Morton

After
Springfield

Morton
What we use:
Our cabinet painting process used to take us six days to complete one project, but after practicing over the last four years and working with Sherwin-Williams representatives, we were able to cut that time in half per project. You can click here to read all about our cabinet painting process here at Exterior and Interior Painting Specialists. The process is the same for all cabinets, whether they are in a garage, bathroom, kitchen or even laundry room. We use the same product on all cabinets, trim & doors.
Emerald Urethane Enamel:
Product Information:
- A smooth and luxurious finish for doors and trim. Delivers a finish that withstands wear and tear and goes on in fewer coats.
- Durable finish is great for windows, doors and trim.
- Perfect for areas that are cleaned frequently.
- Interior/exterior waterbased urethane modified alkyd with the look and feel of an alkyd/oil finish.
- Available in a range of Sherwin-Williams colors and custom tints in satin, semi-gloss and gloss sheens. Resists yellowing compared to traditional oil based paints and has excellent blocking resistance, allowing surfaces to maintain a tough, durable finish.
We use Emerald Urethane Enamel for many projects, as mentioned above. We use it for these things because it is so durable and lasts a long time. It’s great for areas that are touched a lot.

Low-budget kitchen tips:
Swap Out the Faucet
Tin-Tile Backsplash

Try a Peel-and-Stick Backsplash Kit
Hang ’em High

Click here to see our entire 3 day cabinet painting process!
If you want to try to do this process at home for yourself there will be different steps below!
Click here to read about day one!
Conclusion:
Thank you for reading Exterior and Interior Painting Specialists blog! Today we went over some simple tips and tricks to help you spruce up your home on a budget! We helped you pick out colors and finishes, as well as sharing our entire cabinet painting process! If you are doing the cabinets yourself and don’t have an airless sprayer to use, you can still use our entire process by brushing or rolling! Check out our table of contents below to see everything we go over! Call or text us at 309-349-7021 for a free estimate!
CALL NOW FREE QUOTES:
309-363-3449
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