Painting a home yourself?

There are many articles on painting a home yourself vs hiring a contractor. There are many reasons why you should choose one or the other. The BIG question is, are you up for the task? Can you move the furniture, climb ladders for a good part of the day, and lift 5 gallon paint buckets from one area to another? If your answer is no, its time to shape up!

 If you're not in the best physical shape it will feel like the never ending job. Painting has been my life for the past 20 years. If I was not in good physical shape, this would be one tough occupation. To keep in shape I run at least 5 miles a week, walk on the treadmill, and every other day hit the weights. You don't have to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you do need to "Pump yourself up".

I give credit to anyone who makes the attempt to improve their surroundings, but I see a lot of dreams fade due to the physical requirements of certain paint projects.Many people have an adrenalin rush while creating their vision for the interior or exterior of their home. Purchasing all the needed tools and supplies for the paint project can be very exciting. It looks easy, you have painted a little before and know some of the basics. After moving all the furniture, covering the floors and misc., removing the window treatments, taping the needed areas, and putting the ladders in place, your now ready! Or are you?

 So, take a good look at your project, ask yourself if this is something you can handle. If your answer is yes, go for it!  If not, hire a professional and go to the gym.

Crosshatch Faux Technique

A crosshatch faux technique was used to create this subtle aged look. This technique can be used on the interior and exterior. To accomplish this look, paint is applied wet on wet. I applied a deep warm green and a mid warm green on a lighter cooler green base. The base and top coats were a eggshell finish . No glaze was added to the paint. A 4in. roller was used to distribute the darker green first, then a 3 in. brush was used to apply  the mid tone green using the crosshatch technique. I applied the the mid tone green in a random pattern with the same brush. The cross hatch was softened and the edges of the faux were kept in a irregular pattern. The end result will have a soft mottled appearance.

Note - With the Crosshatch technique you are basically painting X's on the wall and blending the two colors together.
 I moved right along, cutting in top and bottom,
rolling in the opened areas. Try not to let the outer edges of the paint dry. Work a couple of feet at a time and dont add too much paint into your corner. This would create a pie crust look. To avoid this, I make a point of adding paint or glaze several inches from any corner and slowly bringing the paint or glaze to the corner.

 

 The greatest thing about this technique is, it is easily repaired. Go back into the area and follow the above, blend in the area and your finished. If this is your first attempt, choose colors which are various tones of the same color. This will keep you from adding other colors which may make an  unwanted color. For the more experienced colorist, use your imagination.  Enjoy!

The Ceiling

                                                                

      What would we do without the ceiling? One of the most important structures to keep the elements out of our homes, protecting our lives and possessions is often passed by without so much as a glance.

     Hold off putting another picture on the wall and take a good look at your ceiling. Step out of the box and add some color and bring that ceiling to life. Now, I'm not asking you to paint a ceiling like Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel , but recognize that the ceiling is an import part of your decor and incorporating it into your design will enhance the area.

     The photos shown are samples of the options which can emphasize and draw attention to your ceilings. Ceilings can be as individual as you are, designs in countless variety. With some imagination and work you can produce an area which flows in harmony.

   

    So what keeps us from including the ceiling into our decorating plans? One big reason our ceilings have been neglected is fear, fear of the unknown. What color should I use? Where do I start? What are the costs? Who do I hire? Well, here's a few tips to get you started.

    Let’s start with a small step, for those with low ceilings, I suggest applying a color which is a few shades lighter than your walls. This will give the illusion of height to the area and a step out of the common box. This small change has a big impact; I have seen my clients change all their ceilings after one was painted. It is very uplifting!

    Higher ceilings can have darker shades of color to bring the ceiling lower and cozier.

In some of the photo’s there are different levels of faux finishes from basic techniques to more advanced.  Do your homework and try this yourself or hire a professional. In either case you’ll have a ceiling to be proud of.

   What if my project does not turn out well? Remember it’s paint and it can be painted over, which is the beauty of it. But, I highly suggest sample boards of the colors and techniques that will be used before starting. Ask questions, ask for help, this will take a lot of pressure off and you’ll have greater success.

            So, let your ceiling shine and draw attention to such a great focal area in your home.

    Here is a great example of adding a warm color to the ceiling which makes a large room cozier.  In most cases adding color alone will change the area, this is also cost affective, small steps can give big results.

                                      Adding a coffered ceiling is always a show stopper
   Money may be an issue when considering an architectural change, if there's no issue here than
                                                                      go for it!  

        Metallic gold painted crown moldings and faux painted sponge technique adds sophistication.
              This is great idea if there are coffered or tray ceilings in your home.                          

LOOK UP!!!

      LOOK UP!! What do you see in your own home? Probably a white ceiling, we       call it the forgotten wall. If you would like to add a WOW factor into your living area, try adding       some  color to your ceilings. Step out of the box and try something new. If you have difficulty             deciding on a color, you could use the same color that is on your walls. More and more, clients are      adding color on their ceilings, especially when I offer to repaint them at no charge. Sometimes            they need a little push, it usually takes a week to live with and become comfortable with, but the         results are an overwhelming  success.