Good cost effective paint

Erin H
by Erin H
Hubby is gone for 5 months and I only work part time. I need a very cost effective paint (like super cheap but good) to do the Master bedroom, the upstairs hallway and loft area, the bathroom, living room, kitchen/dining room and guest rooms. I plan only doing accent walls. Not sure on the colors though. The kitchen is going to be a cranberry red, my curtains in the living room are olive green, beige, brown and off white stripes and the couches and chairs are all brown, beige and tan, my bedroom is all dark brown... Any suggestions on either question? What brand and what colors! I DO know that the one guest room is getting painted bright green and pink flowers to match the quilt I have in there (gonna be my step-daughters room). Everything in the house is either brown or an olive green. Help :)
  6 answers
  • You will find the more expensive the paint the lower the cost overall. The low cost store brands often do not cover very well. The result is you end up using twice the amount, spend twice the amount of time and end up with a final finish that does not wear well. some colors such as browns and reds require a good primer if covering over a light color wall. Some of the primer/paint brands work well for this. While most pros do not use that type, as we use primer then paint, this would fit the ticket for your budget and give you the best bang for your buck.
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Nov 28, 2012
    I'm visit my local Ace hardware store about once a week or so...they sell mis-tinted paint for $5 a gallon. This can be top of the line Benjamin Moore $35 / gallon or the basic Ace brand at $20 or so....If you are not to picky on color this can be an awesome deal. I got a gallon once that we used in our rentals bath, I have also gotten some exterior paint for our woodshed on our ranch...green on the front brown on the back...this is not the final option as eventually I hope to side it and paint it to match the cabin...but for now at least the bare plywood is protected.
    • Packrat Packrat on Mar 12, 2014
      @KMS Woodworks Great idea- most stores selling paint do this. Shop around and you might find something you like-- or maybe 2 cans can be mixed together and you can have a great color! Just watch the type of paint it is if you combine 2
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Dec 01, 2012
    Erin, If you go to a paint store for paint, you will draw from their deep and wide selection of materials and advice. Sher-Wms best contractor line is Promar 200. This is the best of the 'builders' quality. If you use anything cheaper, the return on investment plummets. You can get this paint for just under $30. unless you can get a contractors price. All paints aren't created equal. I want to save the homeowner money too. To do so, the paint we buy is usually in the $40-$50. range, the cost being in direct relation to quality when it comes to paint. Most of the investment is in the labor part of the job. Minimizing the grief factor and having a job that looks great for a long time is worth the incremental amount more you pay for good materials. I applaud you for doing it yourself! Best, Charles
  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Jan 01, 2015
    I love the paint at Home Depot. It can be more expensive, but, it goes further and lasts longer. Talk to someone at the paint counter and you should find lots of help with decision making (they'll need to know the size of the walls/room you are painting, what the room is used for). I have also purchased sealer there (so you can go lighter or darker) and they will tint the paint for you, which means less paint you need to purchase of the pricier stuff. If you have a specific color in mind, they will match it for you, also. I'm sure other places do this, but, my best experiences have been with them. Also ask about "oops" paint that someone has decided not to buy - sometimes you can get something really good. You have to ask though, as sometimes there is little to none of it on display at the paint counter.
  • Country Design Home Country Design Home on Jan 27, 2015
    Hi Erin- I typically use Benjamin Moore paint for any interior walls. It is slightly more expensive than Glidden or Behr, but you will find that it covers better and doesn't drip than the cheaper paints. I will tell you that red paint takes several coats to cover without shadows. It is best to use a tinted primer to paint whatever is under that red wall. Good luck!
  • Lina Marshall Lina Marshall on Jul 07, 2023

    I actually go to Home Depot and get the oops paint I just choose a color like like that’s available I’m not too picky. The prices are amazing way less than regular price.