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Choosing the right color can be the most difficult part of painting.  That is unless you posses some basic knowledge of color and how to use it.  Mistakes or imperfections in any painting project can’t be helped, but nothing is worse than not liking the color of the paint after you just spent hours applying it.  All kinds of blemishes can be fixed with usually not too much trouble, changing the entire color of a room is not so easy.  So how do you choose the right color?

Although I always advise my clients that choosing colors is a personal decision and everyone’s tastes are different, anyone who has ever chosen paint knows how challenging it can be to choose the right color.  After all there are virtually thousands of shades to choose from.  And if you are planning on using more than one color the task can be twice as challenging.

Guidlines for Choosing Color

When purchasing paint I always recommend a local retailer who is usually part of a chain such as Bejamin Moore, Pittsburgh or Sherwin Willians.  However, I recently saw an interesting paint color selecting tool in one of the large box stores that caught my interest.  In the paint department at Home Depot they have a computer screen where you can actually see how the paint will look on a wall.  The problem was that although I did think that the computer was helpful, I would still rather deal with a local retailer.
 
Another thing that you can do to be certain that you are choosing the right color is to purchase and apply samples of the various colors that your are considering.  Although the samples do cost a few dollars each and don’t come in every color, the time that you will save by not having to redo the entire job will more than make up for the cost.  You may even want to purchase a few and roll them right alongside each other on the wall that you are planning to paint.

Often when deciding on a color it helps to match at least one wall to a fabric that you already have in the room.  It doesn’t matter if it’s the carpet the drapes or the furniture, but I would highly recommend matching your color to something.  If you don’t have a color scheme yet, now would be a great time to come up with one. 

Depending on the look that you are trying to achieve will determine the colors that you should use.  For instance, if you are trying to make your room look larger I would suggest using a lighter color.  If your room is large I would suggest using darker colors for a warm cozier feeling.   You also really want to keep your colors coordinated and not introduce too many.  It will even help to take a sample to your paint distributor. 

The Finish     

One last thing that you want to consider when choosing your paint is deciding on the finish.  Finishes run from flat which has no shine all the way to gloss which is the shiniest.  In between there is eggshell, pearl and semi gloss.  Depending on the use of the room or what you are painting will determine which finish would work best.  Although there is cleanable flat, the rule of the thumb is the glossier the finish the easier that it will be to clean.  I would always recommend painting molding and trim in semi gloss.

So there you have it, some basic guidelines to get you on course to choosing the right colors to paint your walls.  Follow these simple suggestions and enjoy your new colors for a long, long time. 

When painting an interior wall preparation is vital in assuring that your job produces professional quality results.  Recently while reading an online forum several do it yourself painters were arguing over the best brands of interior paint.  One liked Benjamin Moore, one liked Sherwin Williams and one liked Behr.  The disagreement continued on and on until someone chimed in with a comment that rang true.  The comment went something like this “it’s not the paint in as much as the quality of the job is determined by the applicator or the one doing the paining.”
 
He went on to say that a great painter can make any paint look good.  He also went on to say that one of the major differences between an average painter and an above average painter who continually turns out the fine work is in the preparation.  This also rang true to me. 

Anyone can roll paint on a wall.  That’s why painting is the most likely job to be undertaken by someone who wants to do it themselves.  And why not, it looks easy.  You pour paint in a pail or in a tray, roll a roller in it and apply it to the wall.  Well that is true, but although there skill needed in applying the paint the most important aspect of any paint job is in the preparation.

Let’s take a look at how to prepare to paint a room, the essential steps that will make your paint job glow and stand out from the average.

1. Primer- Now, yes you can get away without priming a wall before you paint it.  Often you can just apply an extra coat of paint, but by applying a coat of primer before you paint you will achieve several things.  Primer will give your paint a deeper look more enhanced look.  It will also help hide imperfections and if you are trying to cover up any discolorations primer is a must.

2. Compound - Carefully compound and sand holes and imperfections.  My personal favorite here is joint compound.  I like joint compound because it will sand easily once it dries which will allow me to give the job a nice finished look.  Although other spackling compounds will dry quicker and shrink less, I still like joint compound because of the work ability it gives me. If once dry it does shrink to much apply a second coat before sanding.  I also recommend taking a sanding block and lightly going over the entire wall to remove any chips or high spots.

3. Tape - One of the biggest differences between an average paint job and professional looking results is sharp crisp lines between colors and finishes.  To accomplish this, whenever I paint I use quite a bit of blue painters tape.  Some people do have a steady enough hand to make a straight edge, but the average painter doing it themselves will see a big difference when using tape.
  
There is one trick though in using painters tape.  When applying paint to the wall adjacent to the tape do not overfill your brush.  In fact make sure that it is moderately dry.  What you are doing is making a seal between the tape and the adjacent wall.  Once this first coat is done, you can go over it again with a second coat.  The reason that you want to go lightly on your first coat adjacent to the tape is if you do go to heavily in this area the paint will inadvertently run under the tape distorting your line.

4. The Right Brush - There is nothing like having the right tool and this couldn’t hold truer than when painting.  Personally, I like to use a brush with a chiseled end where one end of my brush has longer bristles than the other.   When painting tight narrow spaces like moldings or window frames you’re going to need a narrow brush and a chiseled tip gives me better control, wider areas will look better when using a larger brush.  Also, don’t look to save money here, you want to use a better grade of brush, one that is better constructed and will not leave bristles in your finished work.
 
Then once the preparation work is done it is just a matter of applying the paint.  By taking your time and carefully preparing the job not only will you find the work easier, but your job will come out looking like it was done by a pro.

One home-improvement project that is a very common amongst beginners is painting. Although painting a room seems like it should not be too difficult, there are several things that you need to know to ensure that your job comes out looking like you hired a professional. By learning just a couple of techniques and following a few procedures you can turn out the perfect painting job every time.

As with any job you better plan it out ahead of time. By planning your jobs before you begin not only will you get better results, but your headaches will be kept to a minimum. (more…)