Choosing the Perfect Colour for your Toronto House

Trying to decide what color to paint your house? Whether your home is looking a little worn out or you just want a change, picking an exterior paint color is big decision. Not only should you consider your own personal taste, your neighbors prefer that you chose a color with them in mind too.

How do I know which paint colors will look good on my house?

In general, there are three main colors in a home’s exterior paint scheme: main, accent, and trim. The main color is the predominant color, accent colors are usually on shutters or front doors, and trim colors are reserved for window or door casings. When picking exterior paint colors, here are three things to keep in mind.

1. The style of a home can encourage a paint scheme.

Paint can highlight the beautiful design details of your home’s architecture. Depending on the style, your home may look best in soft, muted colors or big and bold.

Victorian: Pastel colors work well and are period-appropriate. Choosing several different colors will differentiate and highlight the elaborate and ornate details in the design.

Craftsman: Neutral earth tones with bright accents bring attention to architectural details while providing a warm, welcoming, cozy appearance.

Midcentury Modern: Neutrals with bold accents and traditional arts and crafts colors complement the abundance of windows and natural light.

Spanish Colonial: White, off-white, and light cream goes well with the terra cotta roofs, hand painted tiles, ornamental iron work, and graceful archways.

Cottage: This whimsical, fairytale style home can handle more unusual colors that really bring out the charm.

Cape Cod: Light and airy neutrals with contrasting window casings look great with the classic lines of these English homes.

2. Paint colors should coordinate with your roof, landscape and hardscapes.

The color of your home should enhance the parts of your property that cannot be easily changed like the roof, driveway or landscaping.

Roof: What color is your roof? Whether you have dark gray or black shingles, terra cotta or slate tiles, or traditional cedar shakes, your house color can contrast the roof color or blend with it, depending on the affect you want.

Landscape: If your home is surrounded by a natural flowering landscape, lighter shades can make the colors in your blooming foliage really stand out.

Hardscape: Consider the stonework in your driveway, walkways, porch, patio, or walls. Try to pick up on the underlying tones to create a cohesive look.

What are the underlying tones in paint color?

Tones are the dull or bright variations of a color. When you add gray to a color it makes the color less intense, thus creating a different tone of that color. For example, some blues have undertones of purple while others have more green. In general, there are warm, cool and neutral tones.

• Warm Tones: Red, orange, yellow
• Cool Tones: Blue, green, purple
• Neutral Tones: Black, white, gray, brown, beige

Using various paint colors with the same underlying tone creates harmony. If you live in a wooded area, earth tones will help your home blend in with the surrounding nature. Beach houses can be bright saturated colors, like turquoise, while Victorians look great in pastels.

3. Paint color can visually alter the appearance of your house.

Certain color combinations can make a house seem larger, smaller, taller or shorter. Paint color can also make your home appear to come forward or fall back. Lighter and brighter homes stand out while darker ones recede.

Can paint color make my house look bigger or smaller?

Yes. If you have a small house, one way to make it seem larger is to use a medium shade of blue for the main color and a crisp white for the trim. Why does this work? The blue makes the home look more substantial while the white brightens it. Another example is a classic white house with black trim.

If you have a large house that sits on a small lot, avoid light colors or your house will look even bigger. If you have a tall house, paint the top a darker color to scale it down.

Does the color of my house affect the resale value?

If you want to sell your home in the future, consider how your paint color may affect the resale value. You may love Flamingo Pink, but how many other people will too? If you want to be bold without scaring off potential buyers, highlight an accent piece, like the front door, or paint window panes, shutters or trim with a contrasting color.

Call Emerald Professional Painters or Pro Painters Toronto at 647-909-3946 or at 647-703-5594. YOu can also visit our websites at www.emeraldpainting.ca or at www.propainterstoronto.com.

Pro Painters Toronto and Emerald Professional Painters specialize in interior, exterior, residential, commercial and industrial painting and decorating services in Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga, Downtown), Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Courtice, Port Perry, Port Hope) and York Region (Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket). Hire a painting company you can trust to paint your house, condo, office, warehouse or other project. Our trained professional and friendly painting contractors near you will use green products and paint with quality, respect and integrity for your living space. We have WSIB and Liability Insurance. Call for a free estimate, coupons and discounts.

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Preparing and Painting a Room in Toronto and the GTA

Whether you’re looking to freshen up some of your walls or head in a bold new direction with color in your home, preparing to paint a room can be just as important as the actual paint job itself. Dave Williams, founder and president of Williams Professional Painting in Northern Virginia and Maryland, offers some tips to help you prep like a pro.

When Choosing a Paint Color

Many homeowners have a knack for envisioning how paint colors will fit in with their home, but for the rest of us, follow these essential tips to help you determine the color that’s best for you:

Get the Color Into Your Home

Even if a color comes out of a single paint can, it can look dramatically off-color under changes in lighting conditions and on different surfaces. Dave urges homeowners to “never pick a color in a paint store. They use fluorescent lights, and very few people have fluorescent lights in their house.” 

The following tricks, Dave says, will help you get a better feel for how a color will actually look in your home:

1. Get a sample from the store and paint a section on your wall.
2. Examine the sample section during different times of the day. Your paint color may look completely different in the morning or evening, depending on how natural and artificial light fill your room.
3. If you are hesitant to paint a section of your wall, some paint manufacturers have websites that will allow you to upload pictures of different rooms and apply their colors to your walls.

Consider the Type, Size, and Function of a Room

A new paint color can significantly alter the mood of a room, whether you want to make it more cozy and intimate or light and open. As a general rule, Dave notes that “darker colors make a room seem smaller, while lighter colors make it seem larger.” If you are painting your home in preparation to put it on the market, stick with lighter colors.

Select the Right Paint Brand and Quantity

If you are hiring a professional to paint your home, you’ll want to talk to your contractor before purchasing just any old paint off the shelf to save a few dollars. “If a painter is used to using a certain kind of paint,” says Dave, “you’re going to get a better job when he’s using that paint.”

If you want to do the work yourself, consider using one manufacturer for all paint projects in your home. Many companies will help you keep track of the shades you have purchased, so you’ll never have to wonder whether you painted your walls Linen White or Decorator White when the time comes for touch-ups. 

When buying paint, keep in mind that one gallon of quality paint will cover about 400-450 square feet indoors, says Dave.

When Choosing a Paint Finish

While most of us are pretty familiar with colors, entering the world of paint finishes can be a source of confusion and frustration for many homeowners. New advances in the durability of paint finishes (washable matte, for example) are giving homeowners more options with sheen. 

There are some general traits to keep in mind when choosing finishes for the different rooms and surfaces of your home:

1. Matte or flat finishes are designed to reflect little to no light, while glossier finishes are highly reflective.
2. The glossier your paint, the more durable your finish will be, Dave says. These shiny finishes don’t absorb stains and dirt and can stand up to regular, light washes, making them ideal for rooms with high traffic or frequent messes, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and children’s rooms.
3. The flatter your paint, the better it will cover up surface flaws. You will need to take extra precautions when preparing walls for glossier finishes, because a high sheen will enhance any imperfections in the surface.

As you consider paint finishes, keep in mind that every household is different. Some kitchens only see take-out boxes, while others are lovingly stained every night with the resident chef’s newest culinary creation. 

Likewise, a powder room for occasional guests won’t require as durable a finish as a children’s bathroom might. The following table provides general guidelines for which finishes are appropriate for different types of rooms. 

The finishes are listed in order of sheen and durability with matte having the lowest and glossy having the highest.

When Choosing a Time to Paint

Paint Your Rooms Last

Homeowners often bundle renovation projects to avoid having their home become a year-round construction site. 

When performing multiple repairs, paint last. “Many times, we get the house painted, and then the electrician comes in to put in new lights or wiring,” says Dave, “so we have to go back and patch holes.” In order to avoid unnecessary touch-ups, make sure that painting is the last thing that you do in a list of repairs.

Select a Season

Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) commonly found in paint are at their highest concentration during and after a paint job, so it is recommended that you ventilate the freshly painted room by opening a window. However, fluctuating temperatures or very low temperatures can prevent paint from adhering correctly to walls. 

Additionally, humidity in your home can cause paint to blister and bubble. Thanks to new low-VOC paints, you can now paint indoors year-round without having to ventilate the room. Keep in mind that with most paints, you still need to work your painting schedule around the temperature outside.

When Prepping the Room

If you have hired a contractor, you can stop here. Dave says that a professional should take care of moving and covering your furniture, preparing your walls, and cleaning up any mess afterwards. Read on if you plan on doing the painting yourself, or for a sense of what prep work your contractor may perform.

Cover Your Furniture and Floors

1. Move your furniture to the center of the room, and cover it with a drop cloth or plastic. Getting your furniture away from the walls will help you examine them for surface imperfections later in the process.
2. Apply painters tape to the area where your wall meets the baseboard and where your baseboard meets the floor. Cover your floors with a drop cloth or plastic.

Prepare Your Surfaces

1. To clean your walls, Dave recommends using dry chemical sponges or mild dishwashing detergent and warm water. Many rooms, such as your kitchen, will have tough grease splattered on the walls, in which case Dave says that homeowners can use trisodium phosphate (TSP) with warm water. You will also need to use TSP or commercial deglosser if you are planning to paint over an area that was previously painted with a glossier finish, to make sure that your new coat will adhere to the surface.
2. Fix surface imperfections using spackle, a scraper, and sandpaper. You can also use a scraper and sandpaper to remedy cracking or chipping paint, which can be a common problem in older homes.
3. Remove light fixtures, curtain rods, and outlet covers. While you can cover these edges with painters tape, removing them will both protect their surfaces and ensure that your paint job looks professional.

Call Emerald Professional Painters or Pro Painters Toronto at 647-909-3946 or at 647-703-5594. YOu can also visit our websites at www.emeraldpainting.ca or at www.propainterstoronto.com.

Pro Painters Toronto and Emerald Professional Painters specialize in interior, exterior, residential, commercial and industrial painting and decorating services in Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga, Downtown), Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Courtice, Port Perry, Port Hope) and York Region (Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket). Hire a painting company you can trust to paint your house, condo, office, warehouse or other project. Our trained professional and friendly painting contractors near you will use green products and paint with quality, respect and integrity for your living space. We have WSIB and Liability Insurance. Call for a free estimate, coupons and discounts.

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Made the decision to paint your house this summer? Great! Home painting, whether interior or exterior, is an excellent way to increase the value of your home and freshen up its look. So, how can you make the process as easy as possible for the painters? Take a look at our list of tips to make the job simple for us.

Indoor Painting Preparation

• Make a list of rooms you want painted: Have a plan before hiring a painting company. This will allow to budget in advance, as well as plan for those rooms not being available for typical use during painting. If you’re painting bedrooms, expect to sleep somewhere else for at least a day while the room ventilates.
• Move furniture: For optimal painting conditions, there should be at least 6 feet of space between interior walls and furniture; the furniture should be moved to the center of the room. If you can’t get this much space, don’t worry! We can operate in smaller areas.
• Empty closets or storage areas: This only applies if you’ll be having one of these rooms painted. In general, you want to make any room to be painted as easy as possible to work in for the painters.
• Unplug electronics if practical: This goes along with moving furniture. The goal is to make it as easy as possible for the painting team to complete the job. However, if it is not practical to unplug electronics, we can work around them.

 Outdoor Painting Preparation

• Trim trees and shrubs: Trees and shrubs are the furniture of your home’s exterior. Make sure they are cleared out of the way as much as possible. You don’t need to get too aggressive with trimming and ruin your landscape; just make sure we have room to work.  Two feet or more is ideal space between plants and any surface that needs painted.
• Put away outdoor decorations and equipment: Give the painting team maximum space to operate. Flag poles, yard decorations and tools should be stored during the painting project. Putting decorations away is especially important if the painting job will require ladders; we have to place ladders in optimal spaces.
• Disable automatic sprinkler systems: We can’t paint the house if it’s wet. Paint won’t look good if it gets wet before drying. And we certainly can’t paint effectively if we’re soaked from a surprise sprinkler system! This is one of the most critical steps for a successful home exterior painting project.

Call Emerald Professional Painters or Pro Painters Toronto at 647-909-3946 or at 647-703-5594. YOu can also visit our websites at www.emeraldpainting.ca or at www.propainterstoronto.com.

Pro Painters Toronto and Emerald Professional Painters specialize in interior, exterior, residential, commercial and industrial painting and decorating services in Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga, Downtown), Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Courtice, Port Perry, Port Hope) and York Region (Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket). HIre a painting company you can trust to paint your house, condo, office, warehouse or other project. Our trained professional and friendly painting contractors near you will use green products and paint with quality, respect and integrity for your living space. We have WSIB and Liability Insurance. Call for a free estimate, coupons and discounts.

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Should You Paint Your Bricks? Here's the Pros and Cons!

Brick is an elegant building material. Some of the nicest houses in the world are made from bricks. Over time, however, you might grow tired of the appearance of your home. Fortunately, you can always paint the bricks for an entirely new look.

Before jumping into this project, consider some of the pros and cons. It’s not as simple as getting out a paint brush and paint!

Pros of Painting Bricks

• Improved home appearance: Painting the bricks can take your home from dated to modern and cool with a few (thousand) strokes of the brush. The curb appeal of your house can be significantly improved in a few days.
• Protection: Bricks are porous. When you paint them, you close the pores and protect the bricks from the elements. However, you’ll then have to maintain the paint in order to keep the bricks protected.
• Maintenance: As mentioned above, you’ll have to maintain the paint. However, keeping paint looking great is much easier than working with the bricks alone.
• Cleaning: If the paint is sealed properly, it’s easier to clean painted bricks than non-painted bricks. Bricks on their own are notoriously hard to clean, in large part because of their porous nature.

Cons of Painting Bricks

• Can’t paint all bricks: Take a look at the condition of the bricks you want to paint. If they’re falling apart or otherwise deteriorating, painting isn’t an option. It won’t stop the deterioration process, and the paint will crumble away with the bricks.
• Extensive prep work: Painting drywall might be a one-day project, but painting bricks requires strict preparation. First, you’ll have to clean the bricks. This can be as simple as power washing, but often requires power washing in conjunction with a specially-formulated cleaning chemical mix. After this washing, the bricks have to completely dry or the paint will bubble and crack. If you have any bricks that are falling apart, they’ll need to be replaced.
• Skill-level: This isn’t the kind of project a rookie DIY guy can do. Paint will drip in the crevices and on the mortar, which has to be closely monitored. Any paint bubbles need to be taken care of quickly. If you do the job and aren’t prepared to do it, those results will show.
• Permanence: Once you paint bricks, there is no going back. The process of removing paint from bricks is laborious and almost impossible because the paint will be absorbed into the bricks; even if you got the surface paint off, some paint would continue to emerge over time. You can change the color of the paint, but painting will lose the natural-brick look forever.
• Upkeep: Painting bricks requires the same upkeep as other painted surfaces.  Once you have painted them, plan to repaint every 7-10 years or as the paint fades from weather exposure.

Call Emerald Professional Painters or Pro Painters Toronto at 647-909-3946 or at 647-703-5594. YOu can also visit our websites at www.emeraldpainting.ca or at www.propainterstoronto.com.

Pro Painters Toronto and Emerald Professional Painters specialize in interior, exterior, residential, commercial and industrial painting and decorating services in Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga, Downtown), Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Courtice, Port Perry, Port Hope) and York Region (Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket). HIre a painting company you can trust to paint your house, condo, office, warehouse or other project. Our trained professional and friendly painting contractors near you will use green products and paint with quality, respect and integrity for your living space. We have WSIB and Liability Insurance. Call for a free estimate, coupons and discounts.

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Guide to Interior Residential House Painting

There are lots of things to consider when painting a room. You have much more to think about than just what color to choose. Have you thought about the following?

Room Painting Considerations

• Mood of the room:

  What do you want the room to feel like? Do you want it to be loud or quiet? Relaxed or formal? If you’d like a quieter feeling in the room, chose a soft, cool or neutral color. If you’ll be doing a lot of entertaining in the room, a brighter color can help make the room feel inviting. For a more formal atmosphere, a deep blue or neutral color will do the trick. One word of caution: be careful about picking a bright color in a room you want to relax in. Bright colors can actually lead to restlessness.

• Lighting:

  The color you paint on the walls will be impacted by the lighting in the room. Natural light will put the color in its truest form. Incandescent lighting will make warmer colors look great. If you have fluorescent lighting, be wary of the “blueness” that comes from the bulbs. This can alter the color you think you’re getting.

• Testing the color choice:

  Don’t jump right into painting unless you are completely sure you like the color! The paint on the wall may slightly differ from what’s on the swatch. The smart strategy is to try a few different colors in small areas before making a final decision. You might discover the color you like isn’t great on the wall.

• Accenting colors:

  Who says your room has to be one color? A great way to change the look and feel of a room is to choose multiple colors. A painted ceiling can change how paint on the walls looks. Whites and neutrals can have sharp appearances as accents. You can even use a different shade of your primary color as an accent. Experimenting with different accents is recommended for optimal results and satisfaction.

• Walk into another room:

  Your room doesn’t exist in a vacuum. You’ll likely be able to see it through at least one other room. Take a look at the new paint from a different room. Does it look good? Does it mesh well? Or is it unappealing? This kind of perspective can help you choose the perfect color.

• Use monochromatic schemes:

  Like accenting, using various shades of the same color can add a new dimension to a room. If the main color will be light green, try a dark green accent wall. You might be pleased with the results.

• Choose different paint finishes:

  Not all paint finishes need to be the same. You can use satin finish on trim and eggshell on the actual wall, for instance, to vary the appearance.

When it comes time to decide on the color, you should be aware of the effects various colors can have on your mood. You might be surprised to learn how certain colors can make you feel.

Room Colors and Mood

• Red: Red raises a room’s energy level. It can be good for stimulating conversation. That is why the color is so popular in restaurants. Because of the stimulating effects, it is best to avoid red in bedrooms and other spaces where you’d like to relax.
• Yellow: Yellow communicates happiness. In small spaces, it can feel warm and welcoming.
• Blue: Blue can have a variety of effects. Lighter blues are calming and relaxing. These shades are good for bedrooms and bathrooms. However, choosing a blue that is too dark can feel depressing, especially in the winter. Some blues can even feel chilling in the cold months.
• Green: Green is an excellent all-around color. It is the color of nature and is considered restful and calming. Use it in a kitchen, bedroom, living room, bathroom and more!
• Orange: Orange conveys enthusiasm, excitement and energy. It is great for an exercise room. Keep in mind, though, that orange can also increase your appetite. This color also goes well in kitchens or dining rooms.
• Brown: Brown can convey a feeling of coziness or intimacy. It can be ideal for a den or bedroom.
• Neutrals: Neutrals can impact your moods based on the colors they are mixed well. All-neutral schemes tend to fall in and out of fashion. If you base a room around neutral colors, you can add more colors to liven the mood, or remove them to calm the room down.

Once you a pick a color (or colors), you need to choose what finish you want. Each finish is slightly different.

Paint Finishes

• Flat: Flat is also known as matte. Flat provides the best looking finish.  Flat finishes are hard to clean. In high traffic areas, choose a different finish.
• Eggshell: Eggshell has a bit more shine than a flat finish, but you won’t have shiny walls. Cleaning eggshell finish is as simple as using a wet rag or towel.
• Semi-gloss paint: For an option more shiny than eggshell, choose semi-gloss paint. Water can be used for cleaning.  Mainly used for woodwork.
• Gloss: Gloss is a shiny finish. It is best-used for high-traffic areas, windows and furniture.  Mainly used for woodwork.

It is not enough to just paint the walls. You need to make sure the painting stays sharp with regular maintenance.

Cleaning Painted Walls

• Dusting: The good thing about cleaning walls is that it doesn’t need to be done too often. You can get away with dusting every few months. Spend 10-15 minutes dusting the walls.
• Wash kitchen and bath walls: In bathrooms and kitchens, residue builds up on walls from hot showers and cooking. At least once a year, you should take a sponge and water to clean the walls. Begin with the gentlest materials possible to avoid damaging the walls.
• Wash high-traffic areas: Washing every square inch of every wall in a room may not be necessary, but be sure to wash around switches and thermostats.
• Computer-matching paint color: If the paint gets damaged for any reason, you should take a knife and chip off some paint. Take this chip of paint to a painting shop with computer-match software to ensure you get the right paint color for re-painting.  You will still need to paint the entire wall.

If you follow these suggestions, we trust you’ll enjoy your newly painted walls.

Call Emerald Professional Painters or Pro Painters Toronto at 647-909-3946 or at 647-703-5594. YOu can also visit our websites at www.emeraldpainting.ca or at www.propainterstoronto.com.

Pro Painters Toronto and Emerald Professional Painters specialize in interior, exterior, residential, commercial and industrial painting and decorating services in Toronto (Scarborough, Mississauga, Downtown), Durham Region (Whitby, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering, Uxbridge, Bowmanville, Courtice, Port Perry, Port Hope) and York Region (Markham, Whitchurch-Stouffville, Aurora, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket). HIre a painting company you can trust to paint your house, condo, office, warehouse or other project. Our trained professional and friendly painting contractors near you will use green products and paint with quality, respect and integrity for your living space. We have WSIB and Liability Insurance. Call for a free estimate, coupons and discounts.

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