Does your home need a wee makeover? Painting your walls from time to time is a great practice, whether you are a homeowner or a landlord.
Many people wonder how often should I paint my house and Paisley Painting has the answer. Without us noticing, walls can become very dirty due to regular day-to-day businesses, and they need a layer of love more often than you may think. Additionally, this is a great way of changing the general style and look of your home, without having to make great investments in new furniture or décor.
But whenever we think of painting your home, there is one thought that becomes challenging: how do you choose the perfect colour for your rooms?
1. Pick the style and mood of the room before anything
What is going to happen in the room you are decorating? Maybe your kitchen is the place where the family gathers to cook together, while the living room is a relaxing space for the adults and everybody’s bedroom is designed to suit their personal taste. Now, depending on this you will have to pick the inspiration and style for the space.
And where can you find your inspiration? Maybe in your favourite clothes or beloved home pieces. It’s never a bad idea adapting the room to one specific piece of furniture that holds a special place in your heart.
2. Which way does your room face?
If you are unsure whether your room faces north, south, east or west… well, it’s high time you figure it out! The quality of the light your room receives is influenced by the cardinal direction your windows face, and it can affect a lot the appearance of any colour once it’s on the wall. Here’s a general idea on how to use colours depending on which way your room faces:
- North-facing rooms receive a cooler and harsher light:
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- Choose warm colours, especially yellows or pinks
- If you’re going for a neutral scheme, select paints with pink or yellow undertones
- Go all-in with dark, on-trend colours like charcoals or deep red-purples
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- East-facing rooms are bright early on the day, while west-facing rooms are cooler in the mornings and warmer later in the day:
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- Blues, greens and pale neutrals will balance the intense sunshine, whether it comes from the morning or the evening sun
- You can go for strong colours to take advantage of the light
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- South-facing rooms get warm light all day long, which might make the paints look yellowish:
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- Cool colours will keep a fresher atmosphere
- When going for neutrals, opt for those with a cooler base, as the room’s light will warm them
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3. Choose where you want the attention to go in the room
Would you rather everybody’s attention focuses on the walls as soon as they cross the door or would you rather a special piece of art or furniture was in the spotlight in the room? Depending on where you want your guests’ eyes to go first, the colour of your walls should be stronger or more subtle, and always combined with the rest of the items in the room.
4. Always start with a sample
Never, never, never, never start painting a room without trying the colour in the wall first. Remember that what looks in a way in the shop can look very different once you cover your walls with that colour, due to the light and rest of décor in the room. Otherwise, you could find yourself hating the colour after having spent hours and gallons of paint on this makeover.
5. What kind of paint you should use
In this sense, trade paint like the one they sell at The Paint Shed website is usually the best option, especially if you are going to get big surfaces or extensive rooms painted. Only a bit more expensive than DIY paint, trade paints have more pigments in them, making the colours look brighter and have a better opacity, which will result in fewer coats on your walls (and more time to enjoy yourself!). Being such good quality, trade paint lasts for longer.