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Home Painting Ideas, Tips and Top Reasons to Hire a Professional Painter

A. Top Reasons to Hire a Professional Painter

One of the simplest and easiest way to change the look in your house is to update the paint color(s). A room’s wall color is also the foundation for the rest of your interior design. Do you have a new paint color in mind and are ready to give your room a fresh update. Now comes the hard decision. Should you paint yourself or hire a professional painter?

The benefits of painting yourself are obvious. It’s cheaper. It’s a free workout. You get to brag to all your neighbors, I painted this all myself. While we agree, these are great benefits, there are also some big reasons why it makes sense to hire a professional painter. Here are Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Professional Painter.

Quality

While it’s awesome to be able to say you’ve painted it all yourself, a professional painter can paint perfect. Remember a professional does this day in and day out. They correctly prep your walls and know what types of paints work best in which areas in your home. For example, did you know there are specific paints you should use in your kitchen and bathroom(s)? They contain a mildew fighter. Correctly prepping and using the correct paint ensures your paint will last longer.

The final product of a professional painter looks perfect for a reason. They know what areas to tape and what type of tape to use with which paint. Professional painters also have years of experience cutting (cutting in is painting just the surface you want – for example painting the wall up to where it meets the ceiling). They won’t leave splatters on your woodwork or runs on your walls.

Time

Sure, it seems like you could knock out painting your living room on a Saturday but did you take into consideration the amount of prep work you’ll have? Or how many corners, windows and other details you’ll need to cut? What may actually end up taking you a week, a professional could probably get done within a day or two. A professional will get the room done in the allotted time and there won’t be any loose ends. i.e. – I’ll get those spots touched up eventually.

Efficiency

They’re called a professional for a reason. They have a system down in addition to the right tools to get the job done and done right. They’re also dedicating entire work days to your project until it is done. On a larger project, a professional company can also allocate additional resources as necessary.

The Right Equipment

Painters have all the correct tools for all different types of paint jobs. In addition to having the equipment, they know how to use it. They know the best brushes and rollers to use with different types of paints. They also have high-quality drop clothes to protect your home. Equipment costs can quickly add up when you take on your own paint job.

Insurance

This is important when selecting the right person or company to paint your home. Ask them if they are licensed and insured to do the job. If any issues would arise during the process a licensed professional will be able to correct the problem and cover those added costs. They will also ensure the job is done correctly if for any reason the job isn’t done to your satisfaction a licensed professional should ensure it is corrected to your satisfaction. A licensed professional’s insurance will also cover any costs should a safety incident occur at your home.

A great way to find a licensed professional is to visit National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI). They provide a list of all their members who are licensed.

Source: remodelagain.com

B. Home Painting and How to Choose the right color for Your Interior Design

Source: mbjessee.com

Choosing Interior Paint Colors Is Easier Than You Think

The easiest way to choose the best interior paint colors is to start with colors you love. When you start with the colors you love, you are not bound by the traditional color schemes for a particular decorating style. Using your own favorite color as your base color, you can use it to create a color scheme around it. Your favorite colors can be the perfect inspiration for your new color palette.

Find Paint Color Inspiration

Magazines and catalogs have always been the staple of decorating inspiration. We’re lucky that now we have thousands of pages of inspiration on the internet. Retailer sites can be inspiring with their room vignettes, paint company sites can also show you ways to use color in your home. Social media sites like Pinterest and Instagram offer color inspiration that is refreshed in real time. Pinterest is great for creating inspiration boards for your favorite ideas, so you can keep all your ideas in one spot.

Get Creative With Neutral Paint Colors

Just because you choose neutral paint colors doesn’t mean they have to be laid back. You can rev up your neutral color palette by being creative with how the colors are used. A striped wall in neutral colors adds tons of style but still keeps the room looking relaxed. Neutral wall color with a pastel ceiling is a sneaky way to add color without losing the soothing vibe of the space.

Pull Your Paint Color From a Print

One of the easiest ways to choose interior paint color is to start with a print fabric. Throw pillows, bedding, and even table linens can provide you with paint color ideas. If you’re creating an accent wall, look to the boldest colors in the print. If you would like to choose a paint color that is more subtle or for a larger space, look at the color in the small details of your print fabric. Take a fabric swatch to the paint store so you can choose paint strips to view at home.

Try a Lighter or Darker Shade

Sometimes all you need is a little adjustment to find the right interior paint color. Before you abandon your paint color choice too quickly, consider a lighter or darker shade of the same color. Many paint colors appear on a paint strip in gradual shades, but you can also ask your paint store to customize it by percentages of light or dark shades.

Sample Your Paint Colors Before Committing

This is a simple rule that should never be ignored. Always sample any paint color you’re considering. When you are committing gallons of paint and hours to your project, you have to get the color right the first time. You don’t want to skip this step. If you look at the back of the paint store, there are stacks of cans of returned paint from people that did not take the time to sample first. Don’t be one of them.

Use a Color Consultant

If you would like a new color scheme and aren’t sure which interior paint colors to choose, a color consultant can point you in the right direction. A color consultant can provide you with paint color ideas to sample, or even a custom-designed color palette for your home.

Source: thespruce.com

C. Effective Home Painting Techniques

Let’s take a look at some tips:

Do your painting in the dry months

Humidity means drips and can cause the paint to dry slowly, so do not do any painting job whenever it rains. And if painting during the humid period becomes inevitable, then take your time to make sure you take advantage of the slow-drying paint to fix any errors before moving on to the next layer.

Do a detailed inspection and prep

Ensure you properly inspect any cracked, flaking, or peeling areas that need to be lightly sanded or scraped before applying new paint, because if you don’t, the weight of the new coat will pull off the old paint. “You’ll just end up wasting your time and money if you don’t tackle that first,” says an expert. Take note of greasy spots also, as they may need a bit of washing with soap, and rinsing using clean water.

Sponging painting

Sponge or sponge painting is, in fact, an effective way to add lively textures as well as depth to an interior wall. To get the best out of this technique, tell your home painter to use two shades of a same color. Usually it is done by pressing or stamping the color(s) on the walls with the help of the sponge.

Color washing

Color washing is a tested and trusted painting technique. You’d need base colors when using this technique. Color washing technique should be used with the help of a dry brush. At the same time, you need to ensure that you are color washing the walls with gentle sweeping strokes.

Paint rolling

Paint rolling is a good technique that can be used  to paint the interiors of your house. You can use a primer and a sloped paint tray to make the paint job easier and more effective. When you choose a paint roller, you need to focus on the fabric and the roller handle. Paint rolling technique helps give a uniform and  perfect finish.

Source: divnetwork.com

D. Deciding When to Paint a Home’s Interior

Source: repairsandpaints.com

Your decision to paint the interior of your house is dependent on several factors. When you have  more than one sign that your home’s interior needs attention, then  it’s about time you added fresh paint as soon as possible.

Below  are just a few reasons it may become necessary to paint your  home’s interior.

Age of the house

The age of the home really counts. Most older homes were painted with old colors back in the days they were built; and the old colors might not be closer to the thousands of colors available nowadays. The paint in older homes do not have the life expectancy of the more highly durable and fine modern day paints, hence, peeling, spotting and fading become apparent.

The need to Redecorate the home

Living in a home for several years and seeing the same color on the wall everyday could be a little boring. Try to redecorate the home selecting from the many vibrant colors and textures available on the market today.

A new furniture in the home

The purchase of new furniture can be a good reason to paint the interiors of your living room so as to create an entire new look by choosing  colors that will match with the mood and the colors of the new furniture.

A home ready for sale

Selling a home can prompt you to re-paint the house to give it a new look, so that it looks more appealing to potential buyers.

E. Most Popular Interior Home Paint Colors for you this year

Below are some of the most popular colors this year for your interior home painting projects

Caviar Black

Source: elledecor.com

‘Caviar’ is a black that’s on the cusp of charcoal, so it goes well with dark grays and won’t contrast too starkly with furniture in deeper shades.

Statement Turquoise

Source: elledecor.com

This lively color makes a bold statement on the wall. Try a single accent wall in a bedroom, or re-paint your  entire interior space with this forward-thinking shade.

Vibrant, Deep Red

Source: elledecor.com

Benjamin Moore picked this good looking color as their color of the year. This lovely shade of red is designed to stand out, but an accent wall in this fiery color can help energize and harmonize a space.

Shades Of Purple

Source: elledecor.com

This color was named by Pantone as the 2018 Ultra Violet Color of the Year. This rich, thoughtful shade of purple adds energy and depth to any room. Do you like an all-purple color scheme? Or you like to experiment with home accessories first? Then this complex shade is the type you should go for.

Black As A Statement Color

Source: elledecor.com

It’s no doubt that most people are in love with all-black rooms, and this 2018 edition of color is totally on board to give you the best  sleek and sexy trend of black colors. According to Trendir, black should be treated as a neutral color this year, knowing that it goes with virtually all themes or color palettes. For instance, a black floor goes with a black chandelier. Black is just another way to add some dramatic moments to your interior.

Minimalist Pastels

Source: elledecor.com

An interior painted in white and black colors will always have its time to shine. However, 2018 is ready to give way to a new minimalist palette, which is, soft, gentle, washed pastels like mint greens and sandy pinks. This will completely re-brand this simple, modern design, not only in this year, but years to come.

Pink As A Power Color

Source: elledecor.com

Pink has almost lost its gender connotations because pink used to be known to be a girl’s color, but it has recently evoked so many feelings that everyone (not only girls) can relate to, from joy to lust, thereby, making it the perfect mood-enhancing paint color.

No matter the type of color you choose for your interior home painting project, choose the ones that will give a message about each room, and ultimately give the perfect interior design for your home.

Source: elledecor.com, thespruce.com

F. Using Environmentally Friendly Paint in Your Home

Source: supremepainting.com

To transform a space into a sanctuary requires healthy and thoughtful choices. The products we choose to bring into our homes make an impact on our quality of life whether we know it or not. It’s true for the food we eat, the clothes we wear and even the air we breathe. That last one might seem surprising but it’s true. Indoors, the air that surrounds us nearly 80% of the time isn’t always safe for people or the planet. Toxic interior paints are the culprits behind many common ailments that can affect us and our loved ones—including those furry and four-legged family members.
What makes a paint eco-friendly?

Describing a paint, finish or a lacquer as eco-friendly means that it doesn’t contain airborne chemicals or gases that will wreak havoc on your health. These low-level toxic emissions are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that leach out into the air and cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, visual and respiratory impairment—even memory loss.

The EPA notes that the effects of VOCs are about 2-5 times higher indoors than outdoors, and if you’re stripping paint during a home project studies show that it can skyrocket up to 1,000 times higher.

The good news is that you can be proactive and clean up the air in your home with more than just a few potted plants. Ready for a fresh start and a fresh coat of paint? Here are the best eco-friendly options for your space.

1. The Real Milk Paint Co.

Milk paint is a healthier alternative that is not a water-based latex or oil-based paint like many commercial options. It’s made from milk protein and is often sold as a powder you can mix with water or ready to go in liquid form. The Real Milk Paint Co. has tons of great color options.

2. Earth Pigments

Another safe alternative to conventional paints are mineral and plant-based pigments that are sustainably harvested from the earth. This is a more hands-on painting process that requires you to mix the pigments with additional materials but they end result is worth the extra effort. Earth Pigments offers a selection of beautifully rich colors and earth tones like ocher, sienna and cyprus green.

3. Bioshield

This eco-friendly company offers a line of solvent-free, zero-VOC paints for interior, exterior as well as wall finishes and wood stains. Explore all of their options here.

4. Sherwin-Williams Harmony

Not only is Sherwin-Williams Harmony line completely free of VOCs but their innovative technology also helps to purify your home’s air by reducing toxic emissions from other household products.

5. Benjamin Moore Natura

The Natura line is Benjamin Moore’s collection of zero-VOCs paint. It comes in almost every type of finish, and is asthma and allergy friendly!

6. Ecos Paint

The environmentally-friendly Ecos Paint is entirely free of VOCs and offers a colorful selection of organic paints for interior and exterior walls.

7. Behr

To make it even easier for you, Behr’s Premium Plus line of eco-friendly paints is zero VOC and a two-in-one paint and primer.

8. Earth Safe Finishes

Proudly made in America, Earth Safe Finishes offers safe paints that are zero-VOC and an impressive (and time-saving!) one-coat matte finish paint to make sprucing up your space a breeze.

Source: thegoodtrade.com, supremepainting.com

G. Mistakes you shouldn’t make while Choosing A Paint Color for your home

Source: johnsonfangerpainting.com

Some design rules are very flexible, thus, could be easily amended, while  others are rigid and are, in most cases, not  really easy to break. When it comes to making a decision in the choice of color for your home,  there are do’s and Don’ts  to follow so as to ensure you do not spin the color wheel in the wrong direction. It’s saddening to know that most people only concentrate on choosing the right colors, forgetting the  fact that it’s equally vital and beneficial to know how to avoid mistakes when making their choices of color.

Below are some of the mistakes you should avoid while choosing a paint color for your home

Do Not Pick Your Paint Color First

If you pick the paint color first, you would have succeeded in pinning yourself down in a corner while trying to find the right things to match. Picking the paint color should be the last thing, because you want to see what all the fabrics and other elements in the space are. Do not forget the effect of natural light and the artificial ones. One color does not look the same throughout the day, so pick a color that looks appealing throughout the day, both at noon and night. This is what you should do, plan the room and then choose the paint to support all of the other things in your house. You can take your color ideas from fabrics, whether it’s accent pillows or a piece of furniture with a pattern or print on it.

Do Not Pick a color that is too bright or saturated for your space

A bright cobalt blue color can be trendy and look great as a ceramic lamp, because it has a sheen to it, but when you put that same really bright color on the wall, it’s a whole lot stronger. You want to look for colors that are lighter, muddy colors (meaning they have more gray or black mixed in with them) work a lot better than a really bright strong hue. If the walls are going to scream a bright color, you want to wrap the rest of your furnishings in neutral tones or even white. Decide what your focal point is. If it’s the wall color, then let everything else support it, not fight with it.

Do Not Forget to Consider the home as a whole while choosing the color

Even if you have a small apartment, transitioning color from one room to the next could be tricky and it doesn’t flow well if you’ve got bright orange in one room and bright pink in another. Use other things to bring the spaces together.

Do Not Lose Sight of your emotional goal

Some people think that if their favorite color is red, then that makes it alright to put that color on their bedroom wall. But, what they really ultimately wanted was a space that is relaxing and calm, so there’s a disconnect between picking colors and what the space is intended for.If you want a room that is really serene, you might want to look at the cool colors on the color wheel, like blue and green; if you are looking for something energetic and exciting, warmer colors like yellows and oranges could be okay.

Do Not Ignore Trends

Bright colors have been trending for the past decades, but are now fading out. We now see the softer colors begin to trend back in, more muted tones and a lot of black with metallic accents. A lot of the hot orange, painted lacquer furniture. All of the things that people have enjoyed using over the last several years have become too exposed.

Knowing and avoiding these mistakes could be highly beneficial because it will make it very easy for you to know what not to do when you are choosing paint colors for your space.

Source: sureswatch.com, baycitiesconstruction.com

Faux Painting and Home Style

Source: creativelivingva.com

Painting is actually one of the means of improving the aesthetics and atmosphere of a building. Through a decorative painting method like Faux painting, a particular house might be a lot more fashionable and classy. Surely a residence decorated with faux painting will stand out from other buildings in the  neighborhood. Faux painting utilizes several techniques to achieve the desired effect and decoration.

Painting stripe is one of the most popular faux techniques that can add the visual appeal to any space. Stripes are created with the use of masking tapes or painter’s tape. The width of the stripes can be adjusted by setting the distance between the tapes. Although taping itself requires considerable time and effort, the resulting effects once the painting job is completed will surely be worth the effort.

This is achieved by first applying an individual color onto the surface area, then sponging another color that is different over the very first level of paint. The sponge outcome will have various outcomes with respect to the kind of sponge utilized, just how damp the sponge is actually with paint and just how well the color blends with the sponge. 2 strategies are in fact utilized in sponge painting. Sponging off, implementing the glaze to the surface area with a roller and taking out the desired length with the sponge, results in a textured and subtle more look. Paint items which might be used for both strategies are actually latex semi gloss paint (the starting color) along with faux method glaze (the complimenting color).

If you are interested in removing multiple layers of old paint to expose the original surface of an entire wall by Paint Stripping, please contact us at 781-447-0022.

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