How To Tuesday – Painting Walls

Many of us are veterans when it comes to painting. We know what tools work best, how much paint to buy, what sheen, etc. But how did you learn? If you’re like me, it was thru trial & error – and mostly error.


Flickr

To be honest, I really hate painting walls. I love when they’re done, but hate the prep & clean up. Usually I enlist the Hubs – but he’s the roller man and leaves the ‘cut-in’ for me. It takes me longer to cut in than it takes him to roll the entire room!

So I thought for the first How To Tuesday I’d post some links to great painting sites I’ve found. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned vet, you might find these helpful. You might even have some tips of your own. If you do, please share!

Picking Your Colors


This is a post in itself – maybe even a book! There are tons of theories out there, but I usually follow Christopher Lowell’s tips. When he had his show on Discovery he did a wonderful episode where he showed how any colors can be a neutral. I’ll try and find something on it, or ask him if he’s written anything. Then I’ll post it later.

Mainly, I choose my wall color. My ceiling color is the lightest of the paint strip. It’ll look white, but it actually has some of the wall color in it. This helps make the room warm because the light reflects off the walls, onto the ceiling and back again. For trim, I either use the same color as the ceiling – in high gloss enamel – or down one value.

All the major paint dealers have virtual rooms now on their websites. You just pick a room and then pick the paint color and Voila! Well, not really, IMHO.

The Effects of Lighting
One of the major factors in how paint will look on your walls in your home is lighting. Windows let in natural light. Then you might have task lighting, ambient lighting, etc.

Let’s just talk about natural light. If you have windows facing East and/or West, you have a warm light coming in. This is because the sunlight is flowing directly into your home. Reds will look warmer; taupes will look ‘browner’; yellows will definitely be brighter.

If you have Southern exposure, you have a cooler light, but there is still some warmth. To me, southern windows keep the truest colors, but I only have 2 rooms in my entire house with direct Southern exposure.
Northern windows cast a cool, almost greyish tone onto your walls. If you have Northern exposure, like me, I highly recommend buying samples and trying them on your walls before making your final decision. This will save you time & frustration, not to mention money. I learned the hard way.

How Much Paint?
Different paints have different coverages. So do colors. Even rich colors! Certain pigments provide better coverage. Again, it’s the trial & error thing. But I always like to have paint left over for knicks & dings.

My fav paint right now is Behr Paint + Primer. I’ve used it in my entire home & love the results. Cutting in takes less time. Colors take less coverage. Covering an existing color requires less paint & time. Love it!

Martha, as usual, has great info. Personally, I take my room dimensions & ask the Paint Guy/Gal. They usually know their own products best. Same with colors & lighting. Most are pretty knowledgeable.
And another note – you don’t have to pick a color off the paint chip display. It may seem like there are tons of colors there, but I often can’t find just the right hue or shade. If this happens to you, just ask for the ‘book’. Under the counter they have a big book of every hue, shade & color. You’ll be amazed at the variety. Just a little more white, or red, or black makes a huge difference in the paint color.

How to Paint + Tips & Tools
This blogger has written a comprehensive, easy-to-follow guide on painting. I think she’s covered just about everything!


Before you head out to the store, take a few minutes & read Making it Lovely’s paint tips. It’ll save you tons of frustration!

Are you getting ready to paint this Spring? How do you choose your colors? Do you have any tips to share? I’d love to know. In fact, I’m gonna hop on over to BlogFrog & start a discussion and let everyone in on the info.

Colleen