As the new year has gotten underway, you are probably putting some thought into what your New Year’s resolutions are going to be, and what you will actually stick to. One thing you may not think of is how a few splashes of color throughout your house can change the look and the mood of every room of your home. There are many different styles of painting, paint, and many tools that allow for much more ease in the realm of do-it-yourself painting.
Many people don’t realize the effects different colors can have. Colors such as red, blue, yellow, white and black all have their own effect on the human brain and the feel of a room. Red is known to be a warm, stimulating color and can even provoke hunger; many restaurant owners paint their dining rooms red because of this. Blue is a less stimulating color and is often used for painting bedrooms in order to help people relax. People that have trouble sleeping should especially consider painting their bedroom a shade of blue. Yellows tend to be cheery and offer a fresh feeling to a kitchen or family room. Whites and grays paired with other colors can add a fresh or a more toned down look or even break up rooms that may already seem to have too much color. Another bright idea is using slightly different shades of the same color to add more of a contoured look to any room. Whatever color you choose, make sure it matches the mood you want to set while keeping in mind what will match the rest of your home.
Once you have a color and room picked out, you have another choice before you begin. What kind of paint and style you want to use? Different paints offer completely different looks and all have a difficulty level of application, cleaning and upkeep. Paint finishes that can handle the most cleaning and are easier to apply are eggshell, satin and semi-gloss. These paints are better for high traffic areas or a child’s room, both of which might endure more chance of being scratched or dirtied. High gloss paints can be difficult to apply, as the reflective surface can exaggerate imperfections. Flat paints are not as difficult to apply as high gloss, but you are advised to not clean surfaces they are applied to because it could damage the paint. All of the finishes have their own looks and advantages, but it is really up to the do-it-yourselfer to determine which one would be best.
Finally, you will need the proper tools to complete your project, because we all know there is nothing more frustrating than coming home from the hardware store and realizing you forgot something essential to your project. You need to determine how much paint you will use for your project. One gallon of paint covers approximately 350 square feet, but you must also factor in how many coats you will be applying. Duck products curved painter tape is an essential and cost effective solution to producing clean lines. Proper rollers and brushes are very important. This is an area where you should not try to cut costs; the better the brush, the better the outcome! Bring along a large enough tarp to cover the floor below the area being painted and a paint tray with a couple liners and you’ll be set to start!
This New Year, there are a lot of things you can resolve to do, start by making one of them to add color to your life; with just a few brush strokes you can transform your home! FBN