How To Select the Right Paint and Color For Your Home

Find all you need to know about selecting the right paint and color for your home.

Cheap way to give an old room a breath of fresh air or to make your house more sellable if you are putting it on the market. Find out all you have ever wanted to know about selecting paint. 

Which paint should you choose?

Paint comes in a variety of sheens as well as in either oil or latex. Latex paint is the most commonly and preferred paint type to use because of its ease of clean up and long lasting durability. It also tends to be more fade resistant and breathes better than oil, resulting in less blistering of the paint. I recommend using a latex paint for most of your walls and household uses. However, oil based paint is great for priming real wood moldings and trim as it tends to seal stains and knots from the wood better than a latex paint wood. It does take longer to dry than a latex paint though, so plan for more drying time. I personally use an oil based shellac primer on my trim and then opt for a latex paint as the top coat. There are a variety of brands on the market, but my top preference is Behr paint.

Which sheen should I select?

The glossier the paint, the easier it is to clean up. If you have small children and the room you are painting has high traffic, like in a playroom, or tends to get grease on the wall such as in a kitchen, opt for high gloss sheen as you can easily wipe the wall down with a damp sponge. This will however make blemishes and imperfections in your wall more apparent and in rooms such as living rooms, could give off an unpleasant shine. High gloss is also great for trim and will give the trim a nice finished look, complementing the flatter sheen of your walls.

Semi-gloss would also be a good choice for kitchens and baths as well as trim providing you with ease of wash-ability and less shine than the gloss. It is also slightly cheaper than the gloss finish and is a very common alternative. Satin sheens have a satiny smooth finish to them and could also be used in kitchens, baths and hallways. This may be a good choice if you really want some gloss and paint that can clean easily without the shine of a gloss.

If you have walls with lots of imperfections, select a flat or matte paint. You can usually get away with one coat of paint with a flat. The downside to this paint is that it does not stand up well to a good cleaning and does tend to show dirt more so choose this for rooms that will not get lots of fingerprints and dirt on them. Probably the most popular sheen is eggshell, which hides imperfections like a flat does but is easier to wash, so more durable and smoother to the touch. I recommend this for most rooms as it seems to have the best of both the flat and glossy worlds.

Which color should I choose?

If you are in the process of selling your house, I recommend selecting a white or off-white color as the choice for walls. This will allow the buyer to easily cover the wall with their choice of color and will give your rooms a brighter and clean appearance. However, you should take full advantage of the hundreds of paint selections and brochures at your local paint store as well as talk to a salesperson about the various color schemes for the look you want. You can change the feel of any room in your house with a little planning and some color, varying the shades for a certain look or feel.

A good rule of thumb is to remember the color wheel. We all learned about the primary colors in school - red, yellow and blue. These are on the color wheel at 12:00, 4:00 and 8:00 respectively. Combining any of these will give you a secondary color (i.e. purple, orange). Colors near each other on the color wheel such as blue and purple are analogous to each other and will allow one color to stand out more. Colors opposite each other on the color wheel such as green and red are complementary to one another and will nicely play off each other. Staying within the same shade of color (i.e. greens) will give you a subtle and soothing look. Painting with cool colors such as blues, greens and purples makes small rooms appear larger and more airy while colors such as reds, yellows and oranges will give a room a more vibrant appearance. You can vary the warmth even with a red or yellow by choosing muted shades of those colors such as pink, peach or a buttery yellow. Warm colors have cool ones as their complementary colors while cool colors have warm complements. Shades are either pure or vibrant, muted (which are less intense than their vibrant counterparts) or shaded (the darker colors in the same color scheme). 

I want a subtle and soothing look:

You can choose to stay within the same shade and use a monochromatic approach such as select a variety of shades of blue for subtle color that tends to be soothing. This tends to look good in a bathroom or a bedroom if you want the feeling of calmness. Just choose your favorite color and overlap the shades. For example, select a darker color for the wall and then another in the same color scheme but different shade and slightly lighter for the trim. Your curtains, towels or bedding as well as accessories such as candles can be varying shades within the same scheme. You can also layer the colors by selecting a lighter green as the basecoat and then do a faux paint with a darker green overlay.

Light color choices such as blues, lavenders, pinks and soft yellows are great choices for a romantic feeling of tranquility and restfulness in a room. If you are looking for a calm ambience in your bedroom, choose lighter shades of either cool or warm colors. Use different textures in your bedding and accessories to make the room even more appealing. Don’t hold to the old rule of one shade and one texture. You will be pleasantly surprised at the effects just changing textures and colors can have on a room.

 Colors such as sage can turn a kitchen quickly into one of comfort and shades of buttery yellows in a kitchen will lend to that feeling baked goodies brings. Shades of powdery blue also tend to yield feelings of tranquility.

I want an elegant look:

Neutral colors offer elegance and flexibility within a room. Neutral colors are no longer simply white or beige. You can turn a simple living room into one of elegance by selecting varying shades of neutral colors such as almond walls with red toned browns on the trim. You can also add splashes of color throughout the room with a color throw, pillow or vase carefully placed to offset the subtle neutral tones in the room. Again, don’t be afraid to add texture to your accessories. Neutral colors allow you more flexibility in quickly changing the feel to a room. You can easily change the feel of a neutral room by adding different colored accessories or painting the trim a new color. You can choose either lighter or deeper neutral colors and vary the look of the room. Remember, the lighter color you go, the more spacious the room will appear. Varying shades of rust, mahogany or garnet will offer instant elegance and a feeling of earthiness and richness.

 I want a vibrant look:

If you want a room with pizzazz, choose vibrant colors and their respective shades such as oranges and gold, reds and dark purples. You can complement these colors by selecting a two next to each other such as gold and orange and one from the opposite side of the color wheel such as purple. You can also select black and red for a real stand out contrast and look that is reminiscent of an Oriental look. Choose two colors next to each other on the color wheel for a visual contrast as one will stand out from the other.

Ceilings:

You can lower a high ceiling visually by painting it a darker shade than the walls. By the same token, you can expand a room by selecting a lighter color for your ceiling than the walls. Don’t be afraid to add a tint of color to your ceiling paint for a tied in and subtle look. One way to go if you are afraid of too much color in your ceiling is to paint the ceiling, door trim and floor moldings the same shade such as a creamy ivory. This will add a touch of elegance and a nice transition throughout your room.

Creating Focal Points:

Think focal point when you are painting a room. You can quickly change the look of any room by adding contrasting colors to the walls and trim or by adding a darker color to one particular wall. You can make a large room look smaller by painting one wall a darker shade. You can also visually expand a room by painting the walls a darker color and the trim a lighter shade within the same color scheme, especially if you have a room with detailed trim on the walls. This easy change will make the room pop out more visually and add definite appeal. If you have a room with molding halfway between the ceiling and floor, use two different shades of the same color for a wonderful visual contrast. Highlight any interesting aspect in your rooms with a darker, complementary shade to the one you have chosen for your walls. Visible stairways, especially those in the middle of the room look incredible when painted a darker shade than the walls and gives you a wonderful focal point.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on an interior designer to redo the look of your house. With a little paint and a lot of imagination, you can easily change the look and feel of a room. Look for highlights of your rooms and think of ways to make them stand out. Think of how you want to feel when you are inside that room. Do you want to feel romantic and calm? Choose a light warm or cool shade. Or do you want to feel homey and comforted? Select buttery yellows such as for your kitchen. Do you want a feel of calmness and balance? Select shades of green that are light or moss or sage colored. Do you want to feel energized and express your vibrant personality? Choose vibrant shades. Do you want an air of elegance and serenity to a room? Select neutral shades or cool light greens. The point is, you can quickly feel the way you want with a can of paint or two, a paint brush and a little imagination. 

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Basic Tips for Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchens come in all shapes and sizes, which accounts for a lot of their challenge and a lot of their appeal. The same cabinets, appliances, and surfacing materials can look entirely different in someone else's home than in yours. Stock cabinets can be given a unique look with virtually unlimited specialty finishes and a change of hardware. If your budget can accommodate custom cabinets, your choices are even greater. Countertop materials already come in a great array of choices, but they can be customized even further with special routing or inset bands of another color or material. The same goes for flooring, walls, and in-kitchen dining furniture. So even if your kitchen is small and ordinary, it's not hopeless!

You can transform it into a remarkable space unlike anybody else's. Manufacturers and designers have seen it all, and the end result is that you can have all the amenities you want and need, even in a tiny kitchen. Savvy, space-saving products are available for the owner of the apartment-size condo, co-op, or townhouse kitchen. You'll find that convenience doesn't have to come only in the large economy size.

To create a distinctive space, your first move is to look at your kitchen with an eye to what might serve as a focal point. A large window, alcove, or long wall can be the start. Take advantage of a bank of beautiful windows with an eye-catching counter that runs the length of the window wall. If you love to entertain and are lucky enough to have ample space, consider setting your room up to include two back-to-back kitchens; one with a full-size range, a fridge, ovens, and a sink, and the other with an ice-maker, a wine chiller, a second sink, a mini-fridge, and a microwave, plus an abundance of storage. Pretty much anything you dream up can be executed with the help of a talented design team. It's up to you!

Whether your space is large or small, and whether the end result you want is pretty or pretty wild, you'll do best if you stick close to the following basic recommendations.

Try to keep the straight-line distance between the sink, fridge, and cooktop between 12 and 23 feet.


Position the sink between the other two appliances, since it's used most often. (The sink's location may depend on pre-existing plumbing lines.)


Allow for 36 inches of counterspace to the right and 30 inches to the left of the range and sink if at all possible; if not, allow a minimum of 24 inches and 18 inches.


It's tempting to place a tall fridge and built-in wall oven next to each other, but try not to; each needs its own landing space on both sides of the appliance for safety.


Try to include a minimum of 10 linear feet of both base cabinets and upper cabinets.




Use pull-out drawers rather than reach-in, conventional cabinets for greatest convenience. If you're retro-fitting existing cabinets, have pull-out trays installed.


Consider barrier-free design and products. They make life easier for children, pregnant women, and seniors as well as individuals with disabilities. They'll also add to the longevity of your kitchen.
The biggest factor influencing what type of kitchen you come up with will be the shape of the room itself. In the next section, we will explore some kitchen-shape considerations.


Like all things that are built, if you get the foundation correct then the finishing items usually go into the main system fairly smoothly. So it follows that if you plan your kitchen correctly and methodically then the process should be relatively straight forward, however if you start with the finished idea then that may not be at all practical.

To plan a kitchen we need to start with establishing the parameters within which we have to work. This includes the actual space, the uses of that space and the budget.


There are four stages to planning a kitchen:

Defining the space, which includes either measuring up, and noting the position of the existing services, windows and doors of planning from the start with the architect on how you want the space laid out.

Designing the room's layout to get the appliances, work tops and cupboards where you want them.

Confirming that layout and the services that are needed.(This includes lighting).
Confirming the finishes that you require for the bench tops, the exterior of the cabinetry and the interior of the cabinetry, the flooring, the walls, ceiling and window treatments

The following is intended to help you with the actual planning, but they are only suggestions and will not be practical in all situations, you will often have to compromise. The golden rule is - keep it simple - and remember that the kitchen is one of the main selling points for a house.

For years now kitchen designers have used a simplistic method of a triangle to connect the three main work spaces within a kitchen.


The main working zones in the kitchen are generally recognized as being - food preparation, cooking and serving, and finally washing up. Each activity zone needs to include the work top(s) and appliances required for that activity, also the zone will require the storage space for the utensils, ingredients etc. required for it.

In addition to the three zones, it is important to arrange the appliances and work tops in the correct order i.e. work top - appliance - work top. A work triangle is formed between the three zones.

For the greatest efficiency the total length of the three sides of the triangle should be between 3600mm and 6600mm, and as far as possible, the work triangle should be uninterrupted by through traffic.

The main working zones in the kitchen are generally recognized as being - food preparation, cooking and serving, and finally washing up.

Each activity zone needs to include the work top(s) and appliances required for that activity, also the zone will require the storage space for the utensils, ingredients etc. required for it.


In addition to the three zones, it is important to arrange the appliances and work tops in the correct order i.e. work top - appliance - work top.

A work triangle is formed between the three zones (as shown in the diagrams below). For the greatest efficiency the total length of the three sides of the triangle should be between 3600mm and 6600mm, and as far as possible, the work triangle should be uninterrupted by through traffic.

1. Corridor Kitchen Layout - Galley Kitchen Layout

The galley kitchen name came from the ship's galley - a space of very small porportions. This type of kitchen is common in modern apartments where space is limited and is often used in an open plan room with one side against a wall and the other as a long kitchen island essentially.

In long narrow kitchen spaces with doors or openings at each end, the best design solution is to have two rows of kitchen cabinetry housing the appliances and providing storage and work tops.

There should be a minimum space allowance of 1200mm between the cabinetry to allow for a safe passage through and the ability to open and shut cupboards and load dishwashers etc. Some spaces don't allow for this minimum luxury of space between the cabinetry, so in this case, place all opening appliances and cabinetry along one side.



2. L-shaped Kitchen Layout

This is often the best solution where the kitchen can fit into a corner.


3. U-shaped Kitchen Layout

This layout is convenient as all working areas are within easy reach. It may be the only choice for small rooms although it can also be used with effect where a kitchen area needs to be fitted at one end of a larger room. Try to allow for 1200mm between the parallel sides of the U.





4. Kitchen Island Layout

Often thought of as a luxury, the island layout needs a fairly large room, however in such a room, it does reduce the amount of walking you need to do. Try to allow for 1200mm between the island and any other cupboard/obstruction etc. Although the design shown has the cooking hob on the island, the island could be used for the food preparation area. Remember that services will need to be taken to the island.

KITCHEN GEOGRAPHY; CHANGING THE TERRAIN OF THE HEART OF THE HOME

Once relegated to the back of the house, the kitchen has in recent years come out of confinement. But the challenge in creating an open-faced kitchen - one that's part of a dining area, family room or so-called great room - is downplaying its utilitarian nature.
Beyond choosing appealing materials and colors, a key factor is combating excessive uniformity and rigidity by creating a lively interior landscape and skyline using cabinets and structural elements. Thinking in geographic terms can help a kitchen relate to the spaces around it and yet set it apart from them.

If you're remodeling an old kitchen or planning a kitchen addition or a new home, here are some strategies to keep in mind.

Build bridges, not walls. Islands and peninsulas are the kitchen's new walls. Because you can see over and around them, they connect the kitchen to an adjacent dining area, living room or family room and yet define the kitchen's borders. They also allow the cook to maintain visual and conversational contact with family members and guests in adjoining spaces.

Create a kitchen canopy. Even with an open floor plan, it's important to keep the kitchen from spilling over visually into other spaces. What islands and peninsulas do below, dropped soffits and shallow ceiling-mounted cabinets do above. They define the kitchen's borders in a subtle way without blocking views into or out of the kitchen.

A coffered or pitched ceiling can also distinguish the kitchen from neighboring rooms. Going for a high ceiling in the kitchen can boost the perception of spaciousness. Going low in a dining area imparts a sense of intimacy.

Cut back on cabinets. In a kitchen with just one or two walls, finding space for storage is problematic. But resist the impulse to cram in too many cabinets. Instead, design a storage-intensive walk-in pantry. Banish rarely used goods -- the picnicware, the punch bowl, the turkey roaster - to the basement, mudroom, or garage. Store the good china in a lighted china cabinet in the dining area.

Stagger the height, length and depth of wall cabinets. The idea here is to break up the horizontal lines at the top and bottom of a row of cabinets that can make a kitchen look rigid and static. Insert a plate rack or an open shelf unit between two long cabinets.

If you have ample work surfaces, put in a couple of extra-tall cabinets that sit on top of the counter. Using some cabinets that are deeper or shallower than the standard 12 inches can add more visual dimension to a kitchen.

Stagger the height of base cabinets and counters, too. Not all countertops have to be at the same height. Lower a cooktop by 4 to 6 inches and allow 15 to 18 inches of counter space at the same height on either side. In addition to providing some much-needed visual variety, a lowered cooktop can be more ergonomic, particularly for short cooks.

If you're a baker, consider putting in a baking center with a work surface at 30 or 32 inches rather than the standard 36. It's a more comfortable height for rolling out dough or using a hand-held mixer.

Vary cabinet door styles. There's no law that says all cabinets have to be identical. Use solid doors on some cabinets and glass doors on others. Or outfit a couple of doors with wire mesh, lattice or even shirred fabric. Use one style of door for perimeter cabinets and another for the island.

Choose more than one cabinet paint color, wood stain or decorative finish. For example, use barn-red cabinets for the island and natural maple everywhere else. Choose light wood stains for some, dark for others. For just a little rusticity, choose a "distressed" or antiqued finish for just one or two cabinets. For continuity, choose cabinet styles and finishes compatible with built-ins and furnishings in adjacent spaces.

Alternate countertop and backsplash materials. Reserve granite for an island and use a neutral solid surface material for all the other countertops. Top a baking counter with a slab of marble. Use ceramic tile or laminate in the wet areas and top a peninsula with maple butcher block. As for backsplashes, you might want to use stainless steel behind a range but ceramic tile elsewhere.

Hiding appliances is a matter of personal taste. Some people don't mind seeing the refrigerator from the family room. For those who do, cabinet-matching panels can camouflage the kitchen's largest machine. Panels for dishwashers, trash compactors, and icemakers are also available.

Add a raised ledge or breakfast bar to an island or peninsula to hide the cooktop. If you can't position tall double ovens so that they're out of view of neighboring spaces, think about installing a second under-the-counter oven in an island or peninsula.

Ranges are harder to hide, especially large, commercial-style ranges and the bulky exhaust hoods that come with them. That's one reason many consumers are choosing stainless steel models. Stainless steel is a kind of go-with-anything, neutral material that picks up the colors and tones of cabinets and flooring and seems to quietly blend into a kitchen's background.

An opposite strategy is to make a range the kitchen equivalent of a focal-point fireplace by building an alcove around it.

by:MICHAEL WALSH
http://www.absoluteremodeling.com/KitchenTips.html

All You Really Need To Know About Kitchen Remodeling!

All you really need to know about kitchen remodeling, you will find here! Many homeowners engage in renovating the kitchen area annually. There are many different reasons for this. One of the main reasons is that it actually increases the overall value of the home as a whole. In addition to this, it has been found that the kitchen is one of the main rooms in the home with the highest amount of traffic. If you are looking to take on a home remodeling project, but are unsure of where to start, why not start with the kitchen? Here, you will learn several different things, such as:

• You will be provided the basics regarding kitchen design. There are several different elements that go into this type of design. You must decide what it is that you want to accomplish, and then work to prepare yourself for the project. This means acquiring the proper tools for the position, as well as the materials that will be needed in order to complete the design project. Here, you will learn important information regarding all of these elements to the design projects that can be completed in this room of the home.

• Are you in the market for a kitchen fix such as making more room? Installing updated appliances? There are many kitchen fixes that can be performed in this room. Throughout the pages of informative guides and articles on this website, you will learn about many of them!

• Are you looking to make kitchen renovations? If so, you will find a wide range of ideas in the area of renovations throughout this website. You can information on how to install new cabinets, put in that new sink, how to revamp the walls and freshen them up, and even how to install new flooring!

• Many homeowners find that they need basic kitchen help. This is not an unusual occurrence. There are many different things that can occur in the kitchen that need to be dealt with. For example, the kitchen sink may clog up. The faucets may stop working like they should. A leak may develop in the water pipes that run to the sink. There are several different things that may happen in the kitchen area that you may find yourself stumped over. Throughout the pages that we have here, you will learn all about how to tend to the most common issues faced by homeowners.

• In many cases, it may be necessary to hire a professional to assist you in tasks that are necessary when it comes to the kitchen area. Here, you will be able to learn when it may be necessary to hire outside help, and how to find the right professional for the job that you need completed.

If you are looking to add value to your home, or enhance the appearance of your home, the kitchen is a great place to start. There are several different projects that can be performed in this particular room, including but not limited to:

• Repairing water damaged areas around the sink and pipe areas in the room

• Removing and replacing the flooring in the room

• Removing old appliances and replacing them with new appliances

• Refinishing appliances to provide a fresh, new look

• Repairing and/or replacing the walls in the room

• Adding new lighting, or making old lighting a bit more modern

• Adding decorative items to the room

• Improving ventilation in the room

As you can see, there are many different kitchen remodeling projects that you can pursue. We have made it easy for you by researching these projects and creating information that you can really use at this website!

Thank you for great info : http://www.kitchenremodelingfixes.com/

Basic Kitchen Remodeling Planning

There are some basic steps you need to take when you decide to remodel your kitchen. Here I will present to you a quick overview of what you need to do when remodeling your kitchen; you will find more details throughout this website.

The first step is, of course, deciding on your goals for the kitchen. What do you want your remodel to accomplish for you?

You'll want to do some research even at this early stage. What kinds of materials will you want to use for countertops? Granite is hugely popular, as is Silestone, which is made from natural quartz and comes in a huge range of colors. What kind of wood do you want for your cabinets, and how light or dark should they be? What about flooring? Then you have to consider which appliances will need to be replaced, how you want the room painted, lighting and any major changes in the layout of your kitchen.

Of course, there's one more very important goal for you to consider - your budget! How much will you want to spend? Will you want to get a home equity loan for your remodel or have you saved money up for this project?

Now you will want to start sketching out your ideas. You don't need to be a great artist; just get some graph paper, pen or pencil and a ruler and start mapping things out. Of course, if you are more technologically inclined, you can do this on the computer as well if you have the right software.

Generally speaking, you will want your refrigerator, stove and sink to form a triangle in your kitchen. Include plenty of walking space and room for eating. Will you want an island in your kitchen or will that just be in the way? How will the table fit? You'll also want to look at where outlets are, keeping in mind where you plan on placing your appliances. You may have to move outlets or plumbing if you're rearranging your layout. Don't forget to consider installing extra outlets.

Make sure your sketches include dimensions. Whether you're doing it yourself or hiring professionals, accurate dimensions will help you plan well and give the best feel a paper sketch can give for how your kitchen will look.

Many home improvement stores will have kitchen designers on their staffs, and this is a resource you should take advantage of. They'll go over your plans with you and possibly have ideas you haven't considered.

When the time comes to place your order, make sure your measurements are very, very accurate or you will have a terrible time with your kitchen remodel. You can have professionals come out and do the measurements for you. In fact, if you are having your cabinets and countertops professionally installed, you WILL have professionals out taking measurements. If your measurements are accepted by the store without question and without sending out their own people, you will probably want to shop elsewhere. You're spending too much money on remodeling your kitchen to take that kind of chance.

Your cabinets will, of course, be installed before your new countertops. In fact, until your cabinets are installed, they can't even start work on your countertops if you have chosen granite or Silestone (or other stone) countertops because they need to make a template. Ask for temporary countertops and a sink to be installed so that you aren't eating out the entire time you're waiting for your countertops to be cut. It might take weeks.

Appliances such as stoves and refrigerators can be installed whenever convenient. As most dishwashers are installed beneath the countertops, you'll want to ask about the best time to replace your dishwasher.

Perhaps the most important aspect of planning your kitchen remodel. This is one of the most inconvenient rooms to remodel, so you'll want to do it at a time when you will have the time and patience to deal with it. Your kitchen will be marginally useable for weeks during the remodel. However, the beauty of your new kitchen should more than make up for the inconvenience.