How To Choose The Right Colors for Home.

How to Choose a Color Scheme

Discover your color preferences with eight tips for picking perfect color palettes.
 Pick a color, any color.
If only choosing a color palette for your interiors was that easy. It can be, thanks to designer Mark McCauley. The author of Color Therapy at Home: Real Life Solutions for Adding Color to Your Life, he offers eight tips to help you discover your color preferences and take on white walls.
Tip #1. Choose a color scheme from the largest pattern in the space.
If you've got patterned upholstery, an Oriental rug or large piece of artwork, pluck colors you like from the pattern. For a neutral wall paint color, look to the pattern's whites and beiges.
Tip #2. Start with the formal areas of the house.
Specifically, the living room, dining room and entry way. Choose a color scheme for those areas first, then pull one color from the scheme. For example, take the red sofa and tone it down (say, to burgundy) for an accent in more private spaces such as the den, office or bedroom.
Tip #3. Decorate your space from dark to light, vertically.
A real "cookbook" way to make any space look good without much risk, McCauley says, is to use darker color values for the floor, medium color values for the walls and light values for the ceiling.
"Any interior space replicates the outside world," he says. "The exterior environment is generally darker below our feet (the earth itself), medium-valued as you look straight ahead (buildings/trees) and lighter values skyward."
Tip #4. Study the color of your clothes.
Most people buy clothes in colors they like to wear and think they look good in. Similarly, you should decorate your rooms in colors you look good in. "If you don't wear yellow, don't get a yellow sofa," McCauley says. "You're going to look sickly on it."
 Tip #5. Use the color wheel.
In general, analogous color schemes — colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as blue and green — are more casual and relaxing, and work best in informal or private spaces. This is a good strategy for a bedroom, where you want to rest and recover.
Whatever color scheme you choose, McCauley advises to put something black in every room. "The black clarifies all the rest of the colors in the room," he says. Try a black lampshade, a black vase or a black picture frame.
Tip #6. Use the rule of 60-30-10.
"When decorating a space, divide the colors in the space into components of 60 percent of a dominant color, 30 percent of a secondary color and 10 percent of an accent color," McCauley says. The walls will most likely be the majority, the upholstery would represent the secondary color and accessories such as a floral arrangement or throw pillows would make up the rest. "Works every time!" he says. "The colors are properly balanced and there is a shot of color (the 10 percent color) for interest."
 Tip #7. Go with the architecture.
If you have a small room in your house, don't paint it white to make it seem bigger. Instead, cozy up to its architecture with a rich, warm color scheme. Let your big rooms expand with light, and your small rooms wrap you up and nurture you.
Tip #8. Follow your personal style.
If you decorate honestly, other people will appreciate it because it's you, even if they'd never decorate their own house in the same way. That means if you want to make every room in your house red, white and blue, go for it. You can make any color look good as long as it's your taste.

Paint White Walls - Decorating Inspiration for the Many Uses of This Color

Painting white walls can be called boring or maybe contemporary, or actually trend setting. Having all white walls is loved by many people. They love the starkness of the color, the clean look, and the way it goes with anything. After all everything matches a white wall.

When choosing color we are often over whelmed with all the choices...it is no different when choosing this color. Do you realize that there are hundreds options. Some have deeper colors like brown or gray or green added, others have cooler colors added like blues.

One great use of using white walls is when displaying artwork; you never see art galleries with any other color. That is because they want the artwork to stand out not the walls. It is very effective so if you have a lot of beautiful artwork this is the color to use so that your art makes the statement.

The most effective use of choosing the color white is to go all white, and use different textures for interest in the room. Example use a different textured for the curtains, another different texture for throw pillows. This can all be pulled together with your large pieces of furniture like couches and chairs make sure they have an all white or all neutral look and feel.

Something that can give white painted walls a different look is the sheen you use for the paint. A flat paint will not bounce color around; it will just absorb the color. While a paint with a shinier sheen will help the light bounce around the room. Don't be afraid to even create an accent wall with one wall using an extremely shinny sheen and the other walls having a duller sheen.

It is a lot of fun to create illusions with this color. When you use a slightly darker or lighter hue of it and paint either a stripe, or stencil, or even just sponge it on the wall, it gives a new subtle depth and interest. Remember you are just looking for the illusion of another color or design, nothing overwhelming so keep the colors very close together. Always practice before you start on a wall, and live with the sample through a couple days of light changes in the room. This gives you a good way it see how it will look when you are done with the entire room.

Before you start any interior design project like painting, be sure you have done your home work. Take pictures of inspirational places and use picture from magazines to give you a better understanding of how the colors you want will look together.

Color Inspiration - Choosing Interior Paint Colors by Looking At the World Around You

Choosing color for your home can be fun and easy, when you approach it in a new way. What if you carried a camera with you everywhere you went and took pictures of colors you saw that you liked? Maybe it is the paint colors in a large opulent hotel, perhaps a friend's house. Don't forget the best of all canvases Mother Earth, the richness of color is everywhere in nature. When you purposely start looking it might amaze you what you have been missing.

Watch to see how various places use paint to create different feelings and emotions depending on what they want you to feel or how they want you to act. Great place for this is restaurants, check out the paint colors they use and ask yourself why their choices? See if there is a theme in the colors your favorite restaurants use. Remember they say red makes you hungry... do you think it is true?

If you have a very active play room, go to places that also want you do to high energy things, take pictures of the colors they use in their paint choices. Likewise if you want a very healing quite space, a great place is a hospital, I kid you not, check out the healing colors they use, it might surprise you. In Colorado they use a lot of deep light hues of purple.

Do these activities for several days then compare the pictures and see what they say about you and how you choose paint color. Are they all warm, deep intense or are they lighter more beach hues. Do you see a pattern? If you find a pattern you can use it throughout your entire house. If not that's ok, you choose your favorite and use some of the other colors as accent. When you have made your final choice blow up the pictures so you can have the colors matched, any color can be created at your paint stores or large hardware stores.

Also use some of the photos you have taken and blow up for artwork throughout your home, you may have some masterpieces. Don't be afraid to crop the pictures in different places to create more interesting subject matter. Get a matching mat and you have a wonderful addition to your home.

There is rarely any place I go that I do not see how paint color is used, and yes I always have a camera and take a lot of pictures. It is in my blood and I love it. I am not the norm and that's ok someone has to do it and I always hope to recruit some other newbies. I love color and the way it changes emotions, feelings and actions.

Tips For Using Acrylic Paints

Acrylic paints are very useful for painting the weekend crafts that you and your kids create in your wood shop over the weekends. In dealing with acrylic paints, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your experience in dealing with them.

The nice thing about acrylic paints is that, unlike ones that are oil based, they are fast drying. This means that you can cover your bird house, knick knack, or other craft in the morning and by afternoon it is dry and ready to be used. Of course, since the acrylic is fast drying, it means that you should work with it quickly. Once you open the tube, work with it as quickly as you can to avoid having it dry out before you can cover your target piece.

Acrylic products are among the most versatile of paints in that they can mimic the other two major styles of coverings - water and oil based. For example, by diluting it with water or other substances, you can give the color a slightly washed out look that closely resembles water color. By adding acrylic gel or media, you can mimic the look of an oil painting.

Those who are tight on funds and have never used acrylic products before, may want to start with a lower grade product. Some manufacturers sell what is known as student grade acrylic coatings. These products have a lower pigment concentration and a few other differences that make them less expensive and more affordable for those who can't quite afford the premium paints. And then, as you become more comfortable using acrylics, you can make a seamless transition to the more expensive grades.

If the acrylic container has been previously opened, you may find that some of the moisture has evaporated making the paint thick and hard to handle. In this case you need to thin it out. The easiest way to do this is by adding plain water to it. When the covering dries, it will still provide a water resistant layer to the piece you have painted.

A part of acrylic paint maintenance is caring for the paints that you use. When you are finished painting, clean the caps on your acrylic paint tubes. Clean threads as well. If you don't, you may find it difficult or impossible to reopen it the next time that you are ready to use it.
Article source : EzineArticles

What Are The Best Paint Schemes for Your Home's Exterior?

Figuring out what color to paint your home may be a tricky thing to do. You might imagine how a certain color will look in your head only to find out that it's far from what you imagined when you see it in reality. There are several different ways in which you may choose to go when painting your home, but when it comes down to it, make sure that you carefully consider the choice.

If you're home is old and you want to maintain its historical integrity, try to determine what the original paint color was. Old photographs from previous owners, if you know them, or asking the neighbors may be a good place to start. If you'd like to keep a tone similar to your neighbors, try to pick colors that do not clash with houses in the area. In a neighborhood full of muted earthy tones, choosing that psychedelic green may not be the best choice unless you're trying to get your neighbors to quit pestering you with friendly small talk.

Also consider the landscaping and natural setting of your house. Are you by the ocean? Then a collection of blues and lighter colors might do you just fine. Are you surrounded by trees and bushes? Natural, green and brown colors might be a good choice.

Don't forget about your roof's color, either. It doesn't have to be a perfect match, but make sure that you don't paint your home's exterior a color that clashes with the color of your roof. The same goes for brick houses. The bricks probably won't be painted, so you'll want to make sure that you choose a paint color that goes nicely with their color.

If you're trying to make your house seem larger, choose lighter colors. Light colors tend to make a house appear larger, while darker shades tend to make it appear smaller. Don't shy away from dark colors if you're trying to accent recesses, this may work quite well.

One of the most important things to remember is not to achieve a balance with your color scheme so that one area does not stand out too much.

Article source : EzineArticles

The Best Paint Colors For Small Rooms

Are you dealing with a small room and wondering what the best paint colors are to make it look larger? If so, we're going to go over a few options you can choose from that will give you the look you want.

Consider the following choices to open your space up...

Option 1) Use a (Light) Cool Color. If it's not yet obvious (light) cool colors are said to be the best colors to go with because they trick the eyes into thinking they are further away than they really are. If you're wondering what colors classify as cool colors, cool colors are considered to be...


blue
green
purple

Putting an example to them, you can think of the colors of the ocean or sea, sky and trees.

Option 2) Use a Gloss Finish. If you want to go a step further consider using a gloss finish. Paint experts at Behr.com have said that using a gloss finish can also contribute to making a small room appear larger. The best ones to use are said to be an eggshell finish, satin finish and semi-gloss finish. You'll want to stick witch using a semi-gloss finish for the kitchen and bathroom. For bedrooms, living rooms and other rooms of the house a more subtle approach is best--the satin and eggshell finish being great choices for those rooms.

Option 3) Use Monochromatic Colors. A monochromatic color scheme is simply using colors that are close in tone so that when the eye moves around the room it is uninterrupted and tricks you into believing there's more space than there really is. A simple way to go about using a monochromatic color scheme is to use colors from the same palette, such as light blue, medium blue and so forth.

Lastly, after discovering that cool colors are the best colors in principal, you still might want to consider another choice.

Option 4) Compromise with a Light Warm Color. If you're wondering what warm colors are, they are yellow, orange and red. Putting them into an example, warm colors are the colors of heat. You can think of the sun and fire as good examples.

Generally, warm colors get the opposite results that cool colors get. That is, they make a room feel smaller because they appear as though they are coming toward you. However, they also make a space feel cozy, which means it's sometimes worth the sacrifice to pick a warm color, especially if you love it.

Remember, you'll be the one living in your home day in and day out. You want to be certain that the colors you pick are colors you can enjoy. If you can't enjoy the selection of cool colors then it might be best to you to pull from both worlds...

That way you'll still be getting something light but warm at the same time. Choosing a light warm color will then ensure that your room will feel fairly bright to you, but also offer you that intimate feeling that you couldn't deny yourself.

So keep in mind not to only choose what's best for your rooms but also what's best for you...

After all these are choices you'll have to live with every single day.

by Tameka Norris .
Article source : EzineArticles

Faux Finishing

Common mistakes to avoid Part 1: Lap lines or seams that are too dark

If you’ve ever used finger paint as a child or experimented with water colors, you will remember how the colors you use are like a film and the paint underneath is changed to look like a mixture of what is on top and what is on the bottom. Because Faux Painting Glazes are used to make paint dry slower (open time) in order to be able to work with the paint to achieve different effects, the glaze also makes the paint transparent. In other words, the paint is no longer opaque and will no longer block out the color on the wall but whatever is underneath will show through slightly. Therefore, if you fail to “feather out” the glaze in an area where you know you will not be getting to for awhile and allow the glaze to dry, then when you join the next section to that area, you must be extra careful not to overlap the areas too much or you will get “lap lines” or “seams” .

There are a few things you can do to tone the lap lines down if this happens. Use any step that seems easier and achieves your desired finish.

1) This is the preference of this author - When you come back to add deeper hues or a second coat, work off the existing dark area. Alternate the darker hues of the color to the left and right of the lap line. how you cannot notice the lines anymore. Adding shapes of darker hues (use same colors as before) adds depth and dimension to the wall. In addition, the colors are darker and deeper.

2) If you don’t desire to add deeper hues, then you can try to break up the area with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and diluted dishwashing liquid. Dip a cloth or paper towel into the mixture and rub the lap lines very lightly until the paint begins to come off. This method does take time and you must be careful not to take off the base coat. Once the area has been taken off (doesn’t come off completely but enough), then with a chip brush dab some color very lightly onto the area and blend into the adjacent areas. Remember that the glaze dries darker than when it is wet, so don’t add too much glaze. When it dries, if it’s too light, you can always go back and add a bit more.

3) When you come to a section that has already dried, before you add the next section, you can break up the dried glaze by first adding some clear glaze and work it into the dried area where you will be butting up the next section. Blend the section as best as possible.

4) If you find that you don’t like the way the wall looks, remember that you can always paint over the wall with the base coat and start again. Keep in mind that faux painting is meant to give movement to the wall by having some areas dark and others lighter and is not meant to have uniformity that only machines can achieve. As long as there is some consistency in the faux finish as far as the over all look, then it’s better to leave well enough alone sometimes. Take a look at the finished wall...beautiful, don’t you agree? You can no longer tell where the lap lines or seams used to be.

Faux Finishing Tips and Techniques

Here are Five Free Faux Painting Tips for Your Next Finishing Project
1: Preparation- Fix walls first
Tape off your ceilings and baseboards with low tack masking tape. Blue tape works great. Use a cloth drop cloth instead of plastic. Drips will soak into the cloth and dry quicker so you don’t track paint thru the house. Fix holes or cracks on the walls first and remove dirt.

2: Base coat
Water based Latex Paints in “satin” or “eggshell” is the best type of paint to use for your base coat.

Make sure you paint the patches where you fixed the wall with the same base coat as the rest of the wall. If not as you can see by the picture to the right, the patches will show through. That’s because glazes are not like paint which is opaque. So the texture of the wall must be the same unless you want to have places where the faux finish looks different. Hint - you can paint designs on the wall with a different texture and when you faux paint the wall, the designs will be enhanced yet subtle.

3: Practice first
Always practice your faux painting technique on boards first. You can save money by purchasing poster boards at any stationary or office supply store. Paint the board with the same paint you are using for your basecoat. Test out the glaze on a small section to see if your mixture needs to be darker. Any glaze can be darkened with a drop or two of acrylic paint.

Tape your board onto a section on the wall instead of painting on the floor. That way you can practice the technique just the way you will be doing it on the walls.

Once you are happy with the board then proceed to a discreet place on your wall first. Remember, there are no mistakes in Faux Painting; if you don’t like what you see, just paint over and start again!

4: Lining your trays
If you are mixing your own glazes, line your trays with a plastic bag. This saves time and mess because you don’t need to wash the tray afterwards. If you need to quit and continue your project the next day, bring the back of the plastic bag to the front and tie up the bag with a knot. That way the glaze will not dry out and you can use it the next day.

Then, keep your tools in a plastic bag, also when you are not using them. You can safely keep them overnight, too. However, we don’t recommend going more than one day without washing out your tools.


5: Mixing Glazes
Mix just a small amount of glaze first. Usually it is 3 parts glaze to one part paint. After you mix a small amount, try that out on your board first to see if the color looks according to what you desire. If not, then add more glaze or more paint until you are satisfied. Then put aside a small puddle of the glaze to the side, fill your tray with the rest of mixed glaze and match the new mixture to the small puddle that you have set aside.

When you run out of glaze, then do the same thing. Set aside a puddle of the mixture before you totally run out. Then refill tray with glaze and keep adding paint until the mixture is the same density in color. Place a small puddle next to the puddle you have from the mixture you were using to compare the two. This is very important, because if the next tray of glaze is not the same, you will notice a difference on the walls.

Decorative Wall Painting Techniques

How To Instructions for Your Next Painting or Faux Wall Finish Project.


Do your walls seem dull and uninviting? Do you long for a cozy, welcoming room? Consider decorative wall painting techniques, such as sponging, ragging, stenciling or stamping. Even if you have no experience, you can brighten even the dullest room quickly and cheaply with one of these easy decorative wall painting techniques.

Before painting your room, pick out a color scheme for your walls. When you chose your paint, remember that many painting techniques use two shades of one color. If you are using one of the techniques that does use two shades of color, you can pick a darker color than you normally would chose for your base color, since the lighter top color will make the final result much lighter.

To sponge or rag a wall, paint on your base color and let it dry thoroughly. Then, dip your sponge or rag into the lighter paint color and sponge or drag the lighter color over the base coat until you are satisfied with the effect. If you are unhappy with your final result, you can repaint any areas that you don’t like with the base coat. Once the repainted area is dry, repeat the faux painting technique.

If you are considering using a decorative painting technique such as stenciling or stamping, you may just want to create a wallpaper effect by stamping or stenciling a simple design over your base coat. However, you may want to go a step further with your project and use stencils or stamps to create a faux brick or stone wall. You don’t need to be an artist to create one of these faux finishes. Just follow these simple steps. First, paint the walls with the color you chose for the mortar between the bricks or stones. Once the base coat is dry, stamp or stencil your bricks or stones over the base coat. Once the brick or stonework is dry, spatter a bit of the darker color over your faux art to give it depth and make it appear more realistic.

Creating faux effects such as making your walls look like they are made of plaster or suede can also really make your room stand out. You can easily learn how to create these seemingly difficult finishes at your local paint store. Paint bases that automatically give a suede or textured effect to the walls are a shortcut that even artists use to create fun finishes.

Finally, no matter which decorative wall painting technique you choose, remember that it is just a few layers of paint. You can always redo the finish on your walls as you learn more about the art of decorative painting.

Picking The Right Paint For Your Bedroom

Painting Your Bedroom is an inexpensive way to get a whole new look, however some people find it to be an overwhelming task to choose a color or type of paint. Many simply stare at the thousands of color swatches in the store and then walk away confused without ever picking out a color!

If you want to paint your bedroom, the first step is to select a range of colors or color theme. That way, when you go into the store you can narrow down your selection of color swatches to those in that general color shade.

If you want your bedroom to evoke a certain mood, some colors have shown to be better at evoking certain emotions or moods. Calming colors are soft colors - blues, greens, and lavenders in a muted shade. Anything too vivid or bright will not be calming. If you are decorating to have a calming effect these colors go quite well together. You could punch it up a bit with some brighter accents in the same colors but with a different tone. I like a sage green for the walls with some light sky blues and lavenders sprinkled around the rooms Bedding, wall coverings and flooring can be a solid color to keep the calm mood going. Accent with candles and perhaps a table top waterfall.

On the other hand, you might want to paint your bedroom so that it energizes. Maybe you want to wake up in the morning ready to go! Then you might want to try bright colors like reds and yellows with maybe a bit of orange thrown in. I love the look of deep red walls even if it may take several coats to cover! Yellow and orange make a nice color combination - maybe a bit 70's so you could do a nice retro design with these colors. Tone it down a bit by using brown as an accent. Of course, you can always use red with black and white for a classically contemporary look. And there’s always a white room (bedding, walls, and floors) with bright red, yellow, blue and orange accents for a mid century feel that will liven up the place.

For a more elegant type of bedroom, you may opt for tans of off whites. These can match very well with some darker, rich colors like maroon, gold, or even black. Use some deep jewel tones to create a romantic but calming feeling. Gray and brown can be a nice modern color palette – use deep colors not light and you will be surprised how this can give the room a cozy feel that is a bit more modern.

Another choice you may have to make is if you want to use traditional paints or get an effect on your walls with special effect paints. You can add texture to your walls with paints that have texture build in, or use special paint to get the look of marble or old world plaster.
Some of these use solvent based glazes and others have specially made paint just for that particular look you want. A trip to your local Home Depot will find these paints as well as free classes on how to apply them.

Considering Paint Colors When Preparing Your Property for Sale

It is undisputed that the decision to purchase real estate is very much an emotional one. To spike the emotional interest, you need to consider the paint schemes of your property.

Considering Paint Colors When Preparing Your Property for Sale

A very odd thing seems to happen to people when they decide to sell their home. They immediately start doing all the improvements they meant to do all those years, but never got around to. When the home is ready to be listed, it is usually in the best condition it has ever been. Put another way, we clean it for someone else. Sprucing up a property prior to selling is definitely the right move, but it is odd that we make it nicer for someone else than we do for ourselves!

If you know the least thing about real estate, you understand the concept of curb appeal. Curb appeal is simply the appearance of the home from the street. The goal, of course, is to have great curb appeal so a potential buyer is hooked when they first drive up to the property. If they fall in love at the first glance, they will often overlook problem areas and make an offer.

A big part of curb appeal and the emotional hook in selling a home is the color. If you walk through any crowded area, you know humans have very different ideas on what constitutes good taste. Very different! In the case of your property, you must acknowledge this fact when considering the paint scheme. Just because you like deep burgundy does not mean most potential buyers will.

The first rule when discussing the color of a property is the clash rule. In this case, the key is to go with a color on the exterior of your home that does not clash with the other properties on your block. While a unique color may look good on the house in the abstract, it can make it an eyesore in the neighborhood as a whole.

The second rule with paint schemes it emphasis. The nature of most properties is they have appealing sections and utilitarian sections. If possible, the appealing sections such as trim around bay windows should be painted in a darker color. Conversely, utilitarian areas such as sizeable flat walls should be painted in a lighter color. This strategy will draw the eye of potential buyers to the appealing sections and away form the utilitarian areas.

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to clothes, cars, people and homes. Apply these rules to the color scheme of your home and you shouldn't have any problems. Now, about that tie...

Tips on Choosing the Right Paint Color for the Master Bedroom

Choosing paint can be frustrating and confusing, plus small paint color samples on tiny cards do not provide enough of a sample to really see what the end results will look like on master bedroom walls. The painter must have a vivid imagination and be able to envision that one-inch square completely covering the walls and what looks good on a tiny square might not look nearly as wonderful on master bedroom walls.

People are often disappointed when master bedroom walls are covered in a hue that is too bright or too dark, and they regret the time and money spent on the job. Worst of all, unless they do not mind repainting, and possibly priming shortly after the paint dries, they are stuck indefinitely with a paint color they really do not like. The paint color in a master bedroom is important, and the following tips and advice will help you choose just the right hue for the room. Paint is definitely the least expensive way to make the greatest impact, and that impact should be a positive one.






Size Consideration

A small room will look smaller than ever if painted in a darker shade. When considering paint for a small master bedroom, choose light colors. This is the least inexpensive way to add the illusion of square footage without remodeling.

In addition, the color of the ceiling is also an important consideration when choosing paint. Choose white to add the illusion of height to the room, and paint the ceiling the same light color as the walls to expand the look of the entire space. Color has the power to completely transform a room, and unless the room is already large, go with crisp light colors that will give the room an open and airy feel.



Mood Matters

The master bedroom is a haven for relaxation and a place to unwind. The color of the walls should promote rest and create serene ambience, this is why it is important to choose the right paint color to set the mood of the master bedroom.

Cool light colors such as blue, green, lavender, or creamy neutral hues are ideal for master bedroom walls, and the options are virtually endless. When shopping for paint for the master bedroom you will find hundreds of cool color options, and many paint stores will match specific colors when a sample is provided.



Awkward Angles

Many people wonder what paint color to choose for a master bedroom with awkward angles, but the same applies for a bedroom with a more interesting perspective as a basic bedroom that is square or rectangular in shape. No matter what color you choose, the light will play on the colors and change the way they are viewed, but this is a definite plus. Corners will appear darker at times, and walls that vary in shade depending upon lighting will add interest and definite appeal to the room.



Add More Color with Accent Pieces

If lighter hues are not your style but you do not want to go too bold with wall paint colors, choose colorful accent pieces for the master bedroom. Add drama to the space with color-coordinating throw pillows, bedding, and eye-grabbing wall décor. Unlike paint, accent pieces can be changed with little effort if they do not meet expectations. They will add vibrancy and color to the room without too much commitment. If the colors of accent pieces are too energetic or heavy, they can easily be replaced with something more suitable.





Try It First

Instead of taking a chance with a color you are not sure about, do not try and make a decision using tiny paint chip samples. Choose a high-quality brand that offers small bottles of color to sample, or invest in a single quart of a chosen paint color.

Paint a piece of poster board instead of the wall, and after the paint has dried, place the extra-large sample on the wall in many different positions. Place the color next to flooring, next to window treatments, and next to master bedroom furnishings, and stand back to get a more realistic idea of how it will look on walls. This is one of the best ways to make sure you will be happy with the results, and although it will take a little time and a small investment, you will end up with the right color to complete the haven for relaxation that you have always wanted.

Jessica Ackerman is a senior staff writer for Wall Decor and Home Accents, and she has extensive experience in interior design. Jessica specializes in decorating vertical spaces with wall sconces, wall hangings, mirrors, and wall wine racks.

How to Choose the Right Paint Color

Choosing the paint color for your room, at first seems like the best place to start. True it will make a big change in your room but you need to have other things already picked out for the room. Furniture, rugs, fabrics are all things that need to be decided upon before choosing your paint color. Never go the opposite way; paint color then all the other items.

Once you have all your basic items in your room you can get ready to start deciding on paint colors. You should make sure to carry your coordinating samples with you. These will be your fabric pieces, tile, trim, etc. You are seeking the paint color that compliments what you already have in the room. A quick tip for working with print fabric is try and choose the background color in the fabric for your wall color.

You don’t want to be too “matchy” with your pieces and your wall colorings, so a good contrast is good when you have a lot of one color. If you have solid fabrics whose colors are repeated in many items in the room, go for a contrasting paint color. For this it would be helpful to get a paint wheel and find the color opposite the colors you are working with. This will give a great contrast from having too much of the same color and have your room looking great and well put together.

If you are having a hard time finding the color on the color chips at the local store never forget about custom color matching. You can have the exact color you want that may be in a fabric matched to the correct color. Once you think you are set on the colors you are interested in for your room. Look at it in many different lights to get a good view of what you really want. A perfect way to be sure is to take all your coordinating samples and your paint chips you have picked out and place them in the room you will have them in. Look at them throughout the day and evening. This will now give you a clearer picture of the paint will look in the room and with the coordinating pieces.

Anytime you have to paint the ceiling, you need to remember that the ceiling color is best made lighter than the wall colors. This is very easy to achieve by using white paint to dilute the wall color. A ratio of 25% color to 75% white works best.

Always remember wet paint dries differently. So, don’t fret about the paint color as you are painting it on. Wait until it dries to get the real effect of your wonderful work of choosing your own paint color.

How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets suffer more damage than any other furniture because of the tough conditions they are used in - dry and hot air because of the oven, then high humidity when steaming vegetables or boiling water. Kitchen hands are usually covered with grease, meat and butter that leave their imprints on cabinets. Thus it’s no wonder cabinets need refreshing often. If you think it’s time to do this stick to the following steps:

1. Preparation:
Make sure all cabinet surfaces are clean and free of food residue. To do this you need to remove the doors (they would be easier for cleaning) and lay them down so you can clean them. Use a rag and all-purpose cleaner, then wait until they are dry.

2. Remove old finishes:
Get at least a 150 grit sandpaper and sand the cabinets. You don’t need to take down much - a few passes over all surfaces are enough. It is a very important step as sanding will allow the primer to bite and hold onto the surface better and prolong the life of the paint job.




3. Primer
After sanding it’s time to apply the primer. Primer makes a better bond with wood than paint alone does, hence increases the quality of paint job; moreover, applying primer greatly decreases the possibility of chipping and peeling. Choosing primer depends on the type of paint you are going to use. Oil-based paints go with interior oil-based primer, while latex paint combines with shellac based primer. Both primers have strong odour so apply them in a room with good ventilation. Shellac based primers dry relatively quick so make sure you are ready to work without breaks when applying them.

4. Painting
It might have been exhausting to sand and primer, but you can be sure you’ve made a great foundation for the paint. There are two ways you can apply paint in home conditions: using a pneumatic sprayer or a paint brush. The sprayer creates a smooth and flawless finish, but if you don’t have one - go for a 2,5 - 3″ brush. If you use a brush make several thin coats; a single thick coat is no good - it is less durable and is more likely to have flaws. To make a really good finish after applying the first coat wait until dry and sand it very lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. This will ensure a perfect bond between coats. Usually 2 coats are enough but if you feel you need a third one (for woods with heavier grain) - go for it.

Painting Issues - Part 3

▪ What if you have an old house with wood siding that has been painted many times and is peeling badly? Unfortunately, I have found no easy, inexpensive solutions. You can replace the siding (expensive), or you can scrape the old wood as well as possible and repaint (less expensive, but still a challenge).



▪ When painters clean their brushes at the end of the day, they can leave unattractive paint stains on the ground outside. It is best to specify a location where the painters are to clean their brushes so that they do not do this in a very conspicuous location.



▪ The best way to manage painters is to go through the house and note locations that the painters missed or that need touch-up or cleaning. Make a list of the exact locations and give a copy to the painter. Then, schedule a time to walk through the house with him and point out the areas that need attention. If you only have one copy of the list and you give it to him, he may lose it, and then you will have no way to verify that the work was done!



▪ Watch out for sloppy painting. You should not have to tolerate paint getting on the metal door hinges, on the carpet, or on the window glass.



▪ Sometimes, in old houses, there may be wood that has chipped and needs to be built back up. In hardwood floors, you can use wood putty (as the hardwood floor contractor to fix these). On interior or exterior trim, you can use a product called "Bondo" to build the wood back up. Check Home Depot or Lowe's for this product.

Painting Issues- Part Two

▪ Can you paint pressure treated wood? Yes, you can, but it is best to wait for a few months for the moisture and chemicals to leech from the wood before the paint is applied. Otherwise, the paint will not stay on the wood for very long.



▪ There are generally three variations in paint style: flat, satin or semi-gloss, and full-gloss. Flat paint has no shine to it. It is harder to clean than the other types, but the trade-off is that it shows fewer imperfections on the wall surface (bumps and seams). Satin has more of a shine, and full-gloss has the most shine. Full-gloss is usually used on trim (like crown molding).



▪ I love to build new houses that look old, so I like to use "historical colors". Some paint companies (like Benjamin Moore) have certain colors in their collection that are the same colors used in older houses.



▪ Be sure that your painter saves you some paint in the cans for touch-ups and duplication later!!!



▪ Your interior trim carpenter may ask you whether you want to use "paint-grade wood" or "stain-grade wood" in some places like the mantel, for instance. Paint-grade wood has more imperfections but is less expensive. Stain-grade wood is more beautiful and is more appropriate for the application of stains.



▪ I once heard that yellow houses sell faster than houses of any other color. I have never checked the validity of this theory, but my own experience indicates that yellow is an excellent choice for an exterior. It can make a house look bright, fresh, cheerful and...just plain new! I paint my houses yellow whenever possible.

Painting Issues - Part 1

Consider these painting issues now so that you don't have expensive change orders later in your home remodeling project.



▪ Before the paint can be applied, the surface needs to be "primed". This simply means applying one or two coats of primer paint to the surface so that the final coat will have something to stick so and so that the original colors of the surface will not bleed through. Usually one priming coat is sufficient.



▪ If you do a lot of home renovation, you will eventually come across persistent stains that bleed through the paint. These stubborn stains require a special coating to keep the stain from bleeding through. The product that I have seen used most is called "Kilz" and should be available in most home improvement stores, such as Home Depot or Lowe's.



▪ Here's an area where renovators often cut corners: Exterior trim should be backprimed. This means that the decorative pieces of wood on the outside of your house should have paint on all sides before they are attached to the house. Without backpriming, the wood can absorb moisture, which can cause warping, rotting, and shorter paint life on the front of the piece of trim.



▪ The best way to choose paint colors is to see colors that you like on other houses. I knocked on someone's door once to ask them the name of the paint on their house. They were happy to help. When you visit a friend's house, note the colors of their walls and ask them for names of paint colors.



Note that any paint company can duplicate a color made by another paint company. All they need is a paint sample or sometimes just the name of that paint color.



▪ Before the paint is applied to your walls, confirm that the paint in her cans is an exact match to the paint color that you specified. Have swatches and samples available for comparison. During my first home remodeling project, I had to repaint an entire room because the color was significantly darker than what I had requested.