4 Things to Consider Before Painting your Home
Photography By: Mariah Texidor
4 Things to Consider Before Painting your Home
Is the inner DIY-er in you thinking about painting a room in your home? Paint is a great way to give your room a needed refresh and it can be done on a weekend! Before you get the roller out, here are 4 things to consider before painting your home.
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4 Things to Consider Before Painting your Home
1) The Effect of Color: Light colors instantly make a room feel brighter and expansive. A vibrant color can give a room a bold and energized feeling. However, most people might be hesitant to paint their entire living room a vibrant color. If you are experimenting with bold colors for the first time, you could compromise by painting an accent wall and using neutral paint as the main color. Aside from selecting colors that are appeasing, understanding the psychology of color and using it to your advantage is also important to consider. How do you want to feel? For a calming environment, use soft pastels or earth tones. For a creative and energizing environment, use bold warm colors such as orange and yellow.
2) Try Before you Buy: The color you see under the fluorescent lights at the hardware store will look vastly different than what it will actually look like in your lighting at home. Buy a sample bottle of paint or request a large swatch to try on the wall to see how it looks in the natural light during the day and artificial light at night. Living with the color for a few days will help solidify your choice before purchasing multiple gallons.
3) The Right Paint finish: Considering the right paint finish will ensure the paint holds up over time. For high traffic areas, an eggshell finish is best as it is easy to clean fingerprints and scuffs. For trim and moldings, use a semi-gloss or gloss finish to highlight architectural details and contrast against the walls. Consider the function of the room and who uses it. If you have children, avoid flat or matte finishes as they can are harder to clean.
4) Addressing the Fifth wall: White ceilings make a space feel airy but a similar effect can be achieved by painting the ceiling a lighter shade of the wall color. Instead of defaulting to “ceiling white”, try going two shades lighter than your wall color for the ceiling. The result will be a room that appears larger because the contrast between wall and ceiling colors has been softened. In small rooms or rooms with an eased ceiling, painting the ceiling the same color as the walls can make it look larger.