Summertime Is a Great Time to Paint Interior Walls

When it comes to your home’s exterior, you get a chance to change the color only every so often – just once a decade if you applied a long-lasting top quality paint.

Not so with the interior, however. If you want to change your wall color on a whim, you can do so this weekend. That’s part of the beauty of interior painting – it’s quick, easy and inexpensive — and if you’re the least bit handy, you can do the project yourself.

If your interest in painting is piqued, your timing is terrific. Early summer is a great time to spice up your space with some new interior wall color. At this time of year, you can do your painting with the windows open to enjoy the scents and sounds of the out-of-doors. And when you’re done, your beautiful new paint palette will make you feel as if you’re in a vacation spot, even when your not!
Naturally, you may wonder, “Which hues should I use?” There’s a simple formula for summertime painters: Choose wall color that looks natural in your neck of the woods.

Wherever your home is located, just peer out a window for inspiration. Look at the sky, the foliage, the birds, and the butterflies: Your eye will be drawn to a color you love; simply mimic that hue in the wall paint you choose.

Naturally, blues and greens are great color choices in all parts of the country – after all, the sky, water, and foliage are common to every clime. What’s nice is that these two hues are also among the most relaxing colors, according to psychologists who study these things, making them ideal for summertime when, after all, the living is easy.

Live in the desert, but not a cactus fan? Then go natural with buff, beige, or brown – down-to-earth colors that will blend perfectly with your surroundings. From a psychological standpoint, brown conveys feelings of warmth, solidity, and protection – comforting characteristics for your home environment.

If summer and sunshine are inseparable for you, then let the sunshine in by painting your walls a pleasing yellow tone. Yellow is a cheerful, optimistic color – perfect for creating a happy-looking home.

After giving careful thought to the color of paint to use, you’ll want to choose the brand of interior paint just as carefully. Doing so will help ensure that your freshly painted walls will continue to look that way not just this summer, but for many more to come.

So, which brands should you consider? Tests conducted by the Paint Quality Institute show that Ace Clark + Kensington™, Behr Premium Plus®, and Valspar Signature® are among the best-performing interior walls paints.

Due in part to the 100% acrylic they contain, these paints adhere better, resist fading, have better stain resistance, and are easier to clean if they get soiled. So, keep these brands top-of-mind when you go to buy paint.

Take time to select a color you love, buy a top-performing brand of interior wall paint, and you’ll soon add some serious summertime sizzle to your home without ever breaking a sweat!

Using “Green” Paint a Positive Effect on the Environment & Your Pocketbook

With many purchases, you are forced to choose between costly, eco-friendly items. . . and less expensive products that exact a cost on the environment. Not so, when you are buying paint. Years of technological advancements have produced a “green” paint that also offers consumers great value and cost-savings opportunities: top quality 100% acrylic latex paint.

You may remember the time when every paint job produced a characteristic paint smell that lingered for days or even weeks. The cause of the strong odor? Volatile organic compounds (aka “VOCs”), which are ingredients especially prevalent in oil-based and alkyd coatings. These compounds evaporate during the paint drying process and can contribute both to paint odor and air pollution.

But today’s top quality 100% acrylic latex paints are a breed apart, one that is much safer for the environment. These advanced paints have extremely low levels of VOCs. As a result, they have little odor, making them more pleasant to work with and — when doing interior painting — permitting you to put a freshly-painted room back into service almost immediately.

Since top quality 100% acrylic latex paints are water-based, there is no need to use harsh solvents during cleanup. Instead, you can clean brushes and rollers with plain soap and water — another plus for you, your wallet, and the environment.

The remarkable thing about these eco-friendly interior and exterior paints is that they also offer performance that is superior to ordinary paints because of their use of 100% acrylic technology. The acrylic in these paints makes them highly durable, so when you use them, you won’t have to repaint as often — saving the cost of repainting and conserving the resources that would otherwise be needed to produce more paint.

Top quality 100% acrylic latex paints conserve cost and resources in other ways, as well. Because they are formulated to have better “hiding” capability, they can usually cover and conceal even dark colors in just one coat. The best of these paints even serve double-duty as both primer and paint. So, even though they may cost a little more than low-tech paints, you’ll typically need less paint when you use them.

It’s nice to know that in these stressful economic times, you don’t have to choose between being a good steward of the environment and a good manager of the family budget. With top quality 100% acrylic latex paints, you can be both!

Six Questions to Help You Choose the Right Paint

If you’ve ever been confused at the paint counter, you’re not the only one. Most paint retailers sell a dizzying array of coatings, and that can make it difficult for anyone to pick the right paint.
Even so, there is a way to streamline your paint selection: Just answer the following six questions. They’ll help guide you through the maze and make clear which interior paint is best for you.

1. How sensitive are you to “paint smell”? If you dislike the smell of paint, you should focus on water-based latex paints, which have little or no odor compared to oil-based coatings. Latex paints also make cleanup easy and they perform well on all interior surfaces. These advantages help explain why latex paints are overwhelmingly favored by do-it-yourself and professional painters alike.

2. Will there be much activity in the space you are painting? Walls and woodwork can easily become soiled if there is a lot of activity in a room. In that case, it’s best to use a high gloss or semi-gloss paint, which will resist stains and be much easier to clean. However, if your room will see little activity, you should feel free to use any level of sheen – from flat paint to a high gloss finish.

3. What atmosphere do you want to create in the room? If your hope is to make the space cozy, then consider using a “warm” hue, like yellow, orange or red; if you want the room to have a cool feel, then choose a blue or green paint.

4. Do you wish the dimensions of the room were bigger (or smaller)? If you think the space seems cramped (or, cavernous), you can alter the perception by selecting the right color of paint. Light paint colors make a room seem larger; darker colors make it feel more intimate.

5. How often do you typically repaint? If you paint only infrequently, you’ll want to be sure to apply a very durable paint that will continue to look good over time. In that respect, the best option is to use a top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint.

6. How much time do you want to spend on this project? If you have limited time, or simply want to complete the painting quickly, then consider using a “paint and primer” product that works like two coatings in one. You’ll very likely need to apply fewer coats, which will greatly speed up the job.
Considering these questions takes just a few moments, but the answers will save you a lot of consternation when you’re at your paint retailer’s. More importantly, you’ll leave the store with just the right paint for your next project!

Five Cool Hot Weather Painting Projects

If your penchant for painting just can’t be suppressed by oppressive weather, think about doing some cool painting projects inside your home until the heat and humidity pass.

There are lots of fun ways to unleash creativity with paint. Here are five simple projects you can do in the comfort of your home. Each can enhance your interior and maybe even give purpose to leftover paint.

1. Paint a playful pattern. This can be done almost anywhere, on anything, or on any surface. The only limit is your imagination. Enliven an old piece of furniture by painting different parts in different colors – then place it in a child’s bedroom, a playroom, or as a change of pace piece in any décor. Or, embellish a wall with a “surround” by stamping or stenciling on a little pattern. Don’t fret if your painting isn’t perfect – there’s style, beauty and personality in imperfection.

2. Distress a piece of furniture. Take an old dresser, table, or cabinet and paint it a solid color, then wipe on another color randomly with an old cloth (the paint will be more “workable” if it’s diluted very slightly). Be sure to let some of the solid color show through. After the paint dries, have fun beating up the piece with a tire chain, hammer, or wire brush. To impart a more aged look, use sandpaper to remove paint here and there, especially on corners and edges.

3. Faux things up. Give painted walls a mottled look by dabbing on a second color using a sponge, rag, or even a crumpled paper bag. Before applying the new color, mix it with glaze (one part paint to four parts glaze); that will keep the paint “workable” for a while. Apply the color sparingly and add more as you see fit. Step back from the wall occasionally to make sure you’re pleased with the effect.

4. Add an accent. Spice up your interior with a painted accent area — a wall or two painted in a different color, or even part of a wall, such as a soffit or recessed alcove. You can even use an accent color as a backdrop to “accentuate” a treasured item. The result will be eye-catching.

5. Paint the unexpected. Almost anything can be painted, and sometimes, adding color in unexpected places can be the most fun of all. If you’re ambitious, paint a pattern on your floor, on wooden banisters and stair spindles, or on cabinet doors. Prefer to start small? Then add some paint color to flower pots, old vases, or picture frames. Almost anything takes on pizzazz when color is added.

Paint the Unexpected

One lesson we can all learn from painters of Victorian homes is that even small architectural details come to life when given a different color of paint.  What’s nice is that we don’t have to go outdoors to put the idea into practice.

Some home interiors are blessed with exquisite architectural features — fine wainscoting and ornate fireplaces come to mind — that would be greatly enhanced if painted a color different than the walls.  But the real beauty of color is that, with a little imagination, it can be used in countless ways to add spice, style, and excitement to otherwise ordinary interiors.

Take a hard look at any room and you’re likely to spot some element that would benefit from a fresh paint color.  The trick is to picture different surfaces in different hues.

Almost every room has a door or two.  If it’s a paneled door, imagine painting the interior panels a different color than the rest of the door.  You could also use two different colors on different panels to create a complex color scheme.

Doors and door openings can be embellished in other ways.  Painting the trim is one option, painting a false surround another.  Or, you could paint the thin edge of the jamb in a “surprise” color that would be visible only when the door is opened.

Consider the windows.  If you live in a modern high-rise with no window trim, but a great view, you could “frame” the view like a piece of art by painting a 6-inch border around the opening.

If you live in an old farmhouse or colonial home with recessed windows, you have other options.  For instance, you could paint the walls and windows one color, and the sides of the recessed opening another hue..

Many homes have chair rails or crown moldings, and most people paint them.  But here again, you have the opportunity to do the unexpected:  adding extra zest to your color scheme by painting one of the thin horizontal molding elements in a different color.

Are there stairs in your home?  They present many possibilities for paint.  The handrail could be painted one color and the balusters another.  Or, the balusters could be painted two or three different colors sequentially;  if they are intricately turned, you could use two or more colors on each one of them, just as the painters of Victorian homes do on exterior balusters.  Painting the treads is probably unwise, however, since they get so much wear and tear, but you could add color to the risers..

Built-ins can be painted in many imaginative ways.  Picture your bookshelves, cupboards, and even the insides of kitchen drawers and cupboards in an unexpected paint color (every time you’d open a door, you’d be in for a visual treat).

Then there are the furnishings in your home.  What better way to pull together a color scheme than by painting your furniture in a shade that complements your wall color?  And, while you’re at it, why stop at one color?  Multi-colored treatments do the same thing for a table or hutch that they do for an entire room:  adding layers of visual interest and color complexity to the interior of your home.

You can even “create” furnishings, of sorts, with painted color.  As an example, you can paint a section of the wall behind a bed to simulate a headboard.  The same technique can be used behind a sofa to create a strong focal point for a room.

You’re expected to paint your walls and ceiling.  But with paint, it’s easy and very affordable to do the unexpected when it comes to home decorating.  Put your imagination to work and see how creative you can be!