One the easiest ways to give your place a facelift is to slap on a fresh coat of paint. But beware of that new paint smell – it can do more damage than you think, even after it's dry. Here's a few things to consider if you're thinking about throwing some color on your walls.
The old standards on the paint market are normally oil based or water based (latex) paints. Latex paints, most common for DIYers, are made up of pigments, binder, additives and water. There are also solvents and biocides (to prevent bacterial growth) that aren't always listed. All these things can add up to one giant headache – literally. When you get a headache or nausea from wet paint aroma, that is the VOCs affecting you (volatile organic compounds).