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.
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.
