Just bought a new house and you want it to reflect your style? Live in an older home that needs a little freshening up? Are you staging your house for sale? Paint is one the simplest and most inexpensive ways to personalize your space and give it a new look. The following are some ideas and tips for painting your home.

Use the psychology of colour: Colour has an effect on your mood so pick hues that set the tone you want for each area of your home.

• Red raises your energy, increases appetite and stimulates conversation making it a perfect choice for the kitchen and dining room. 
• Yellow evokes positivity, happiness and creativity while sparking communication. It makes small spaces feel large and welcoming. Use it in kitchens, dining rooms, halls and entries. 
• Blue has a calming effect. Concentrated shades add drama while paler shades enlarge the feel of a space. Try it in bedrooms.
• Green reminds us of nature promoting tranquillity and health. It’s suited for almost any room. 
• Purple blends excitement and serenity bringing an exotic tone to a room. Try lavender in the living room and pastel purple in a bedroom. 
• Orange stimulates appetite and brings energy to a space. It’s a great choice for a dining room, kitchen or fitness room. 
• Gray brings serenity and sophistication. Try a light gray in a bedroom, a tan-gray in the living room or pair it with white for the kitchen and bathroom. 
• Brown is an earth tone that makes you feel warm and welcome. Use it in living and dining rooms. 

Pay attention to the primer: Primers seal pores, prevent stains and create a uniform surface for the paint to adhere to. 

• Oil-based primers are great at preventing bleed through and are best used for unfinished wood, weathered wood, previously varnished wood and on surfaces where the existing paint is failing. 
• Latex-based primers are resistant to cracking making them a great option for unfinished drywall, bare softwoods, brick, concrete and galvanized metal. 
• Shellac-based primers block stains and bleed through and are excellent for priming stains (smoke, water and rust), wood knots and anywhere you need fast drying (metal, plastic, wood). 

Choose the right paint: One paint is not good for all surfaces and spaces! Consider what paint is best for each area of your home. 

• Oil-based paint covers well with only one coat, goes on smoothly, has minimal shrinkage, is washable, hides imperfections and stands up to wear and tear. However, it’s prone to cracking/fading/yellowing, takes a long time to dry, has excessive fumes and requires solvent for clean up. It’s great for door and window trims and wooden surfaces.

• Latex-based paint dries fast, doesn’t yellow/crack/peel, has no strong odour, adheres to a variety of surfaces, offers great colour retention and clean up requires only soap and water. However, it requires sanding between coats, shrinks more than oil paint, is sensitive to changes in temperature and takes weeks to cure. Latex paint is good for general painting projects such as walls and ceilings. 

Pick the right finish: Paint sheen affects how colour appears. Picking a paint that’s too shiny can reflect too much light, and one that’s too flat may appear dull.

• Matte/Flat has no shine and reflects little light making it perfect for high-traffic areas (hallways, bathrooms, kitchens). 

• Eggshell has a little lustre, covers imperfections well, resists stains and is easily cleaned. Use it in bathrooms, kids’ rooms and kitchens. 

• Satin has a velvety finish, is easily cleaned but does reveal application flaws and is difficult to touch up. Try it in the family room, foyer, hallway and bedrooms. 

• Semi-gloss stands up well to cleaning but does reflect enough light to show all imperfections. Use it in the kids’ bedroom, the bathroom, on trim, doors and furniture.

• High-gloss has the highest shine, is the most durable and the easiest to clean but reveals every imperfection. It’s too shiny for walls but works well on cabinets, trim and doors.  

Select the proper applicator: Natural brushes (made with animal hair) are best for oil-based paint. Synthetic brushes (made from nylon or polyester) are best used with latex-based paint. Rollers are fast and easy to use, making them excellent for large surfaces. Use short nap rollers for smooth surfaces and long nap rollers for rough surfaces. 

Painting is an easy and affordable way to spruce up your home! No matter what the reason for your painting project, choose your hue with mood in mind and pick the right primer, paint and finish for your needs. Not sure what paint is right for you? Confused by the choice of sheen? Consult a local painting contractor. They have the knowledge and experience to help you select the best paint for your project. 

Have a painting project in mind? Staging your home for sale? Want to freshen up your space? Call the Calgary residential painting experts, Cal Res Coatings at (403) 835-4817. We’re a residential painting contractor that strives for quality, has an eye for detail and colour, and will not rest until your job is done to your satisfaction. Request a free quote today.