Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Power of Paint

One of the first steps into turning a house or a newly rented apartment into a home is to paint, paint, paint (if your landlord permits). I am constantly amazed at the transforming power of paint.
Subtle changes in color are nice. Painting over baby blue walls with a grayish green can make the room feel much more sophisticated. When choosing paint colors I like to choose colors that are a bit "muddy" meaning that they have a few drops of black to tone down the color and make it appear to be a combination of a couple of colors instead of one saturated color.
Even taking a room that already has a color and painting it a crisp bright white can make it feel so clean and fresh.
Bright white is always a good paint choice, much better than builder beige that can appear dull and dirty.
I'm often asked which paint finishes I use. I prefer a satin finish for walls, a flat finish for ceilings, and a semi-gloss for trim.
The best painting advice I can give is to invest a little money into a good paint brush.
I prefer the small handles because they fit so nicely in my hand. I also choose an angled tip. With a good brush and a steady hand you can do a great job painting a clean, crisp ceiling line as well as "cutting in" all the other areas (Cutting in is the process of painting the edges of walls and ceilings, around baseboards and door & window trim. The large wall areas not cut-in are then painted with a roller or paint brush) and you won't need to use much of the blue painters tape.
If you want color without a big commitment, consider painting just one or two accent walls. This is a great way to go with a bold color without saturating the room and making it feel dark and overwhelming.
FYI
---I recognize that everyone is really busy during the summer months, so I'll be posting only on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for a while, with occasional bonus posts. I know you've got better summer activities to do than reading my blog. Now go, enjoy the sun!

12 comments:

bj said...

Thanks for your tips here. Almost all my walls are a pretty white...my preference. I enjoy changing colors with my pillows, candles, throws and etc. In fact I am in the process of changing out my brick reds in the living room for lighter, more summery colors. My reds will be welcomed back in the Fall.
xo bj

Joanna said...

Painting is my number one thing for changing the look and feel of a room for cheap!

Darlene said...

Painting definitely transforms a room quickly and easily!

Tiffany said...

I love the blue you used in the last photo. Paint really is the best way to make big change on a small budget.

Thanks for the tips!

Decor To Adore said...

All great tips! We are soon to purchase an apartment for our daughter and they will come in handy.

patricia said...

Love the tip about muddy-ing up the paint. I too LOVE color on my walls, it just makes my home feel warm and inviting!
thanks for the tips.
~patricia

That Crazy Ajumma said...

Looks great!
We currently rent,but I have been here almost 3 yrs.I have been thinking of painting that is if we decide not to move.

Blissfully Enamored said...

thank you so much for your sweet words about my frames! i am very excited about it! I have gotten a few orders and I am about to sell them to a couple stores!

yay!

i love your paint colors!!!

Heather at Happy Chippy Junk said...

I keep looking for Noah's Ark!! We have had SOOO much rain in Utah we need all the posts we can get!! Welcome Home!

Lisa Bowman said...

I like the last photo best. The beige wall turned blue really brings out the white trim. nice.

annelise said...

can yo utell me the name of the blue (?) collor you guys use in the room, I love it.
thanks
Carmen

cherry said...

Paint def. is a wonder! Love the green! Yep..blog land has become a bit of a ghost town....I wish summer would hit here...it just rains and rains..and THUNDERS>

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