A Bit of Color, Part One

A bit of color can completely change the entire vibe of a room. It can make a staid room feel lighter, a heavy room feel brighter, a stark room feel homier. Color is also one of the easiest ways to give our homes a new look. It’s much cheaper to paint a room than to get new curtains, or carpet or wallpaper. Painting is quick way to refresh and repurpose a space into something completely different. A coat of paint can change a kids’ playroom into an adults’ library. A coat of paint can turn a guest room into an office, a coat of paint can turn storage room into a sewing room, a workroom into an art studio, a junk room into a gym, etc. when you think about it, a can of paint is really quite magical!

Many homeowners are afraid of choosing interior colors for their rooms, but since color is one of the easiest things to correct, no one should be afraid to try a bit of color.

Choosing interior colors for your rooms doesn’t have to be scary. These questions and decorating tips will help you choose colors and create an interior color scheme with confidence and get you excited about changing up the color scheme in your home.

You’ve decided to paint a room in your home and you’re ready to get started. Or are you? Before you start slapping paint on the walls, check out these painting tips that will make it look like you worked with a top designer.

Choosing a color: Probably the hardest part of the entire process. What’s most important is to find one that will create a desired mood or effect and make you happy.

• If you really are at a loss about what color to paint try to get inspiration by pulling a color out a piece of art or area rug that’s in the room. If nothing else, it’s a guaranteed way to find a complimentary color.
• Take home several paint chips in different color families and see how they look in the room. Hold them up in different areas of the room as well as to the furniture, floors, artwork, cabinets, and anything else that’s already in the room. This is a quick way to narrow it down to three or four choices.
• Get a small sample pot of each color and paint a large square on the wall.
• Visit the room several times throughout the day and evening to see how the differing light affects the color.

Consider using more than one color: I know, I know… If I thought choosing one color was hard… Actually sometimes choosing two colors is easier than choosing just one. It is easier to see color in combinations than by itself sometimes, and for that reason, it may be easier to consider using more than one color in one or more of your rooms. If you are using more than one color in the room remember these tips.

• When you have a chair rail or wainscoting, you want to paint the bottom of the walls the darker color and the lighter on top. The light color will dominate and the dark color will have a grounding effect.
• To make your trim pop paint it either a shade lighter or a shade darker than your walls, and the same for your ceiling. The darker shade will make the room feel warmer and more intimate and the lighter shade will make it feel roomier and more open.

Painting Effects: Paint provides a terrific medium to try different effects, so there’s no need to do the walls all in the same color. Some fun techniques include color blocking, accent wall, stenciling, and texturing. You can use different colors on the same wall, or for a subtle effect you can use different finishes. For example, try painting a wall in a flat finish and then stenciling a design (such as damask) overtop with a glossy paint. This same treatment works well with stripes.

Choose a Finish: Once you’ve selected your paint color(s) and design you’ll need to decide on a finishes.

• Flat: Offers a matte finish, which is perfect for walls that have a little wear and tear because it doesn’t reflect light. Use flat finishes anywhere you want to cover imperfections.
• Satin and Eggshell: This is most popular for walls because they have a very slight shine and are fairly easy to clean.
• Semi-Gloss and Glossy: These are both are quite shiny which is why they’re popular for trim. They also hold up quite well to cleaning.

Now that we have got you started thinking about color and paint, next we will a little more in depth about selecting the perfect color for you. In the meantime, get your Andy OnCall Handyman scheduled and your free estimate in hand so when you are ready, you can get started right away on refresh your home in time for spring!