Painting...touch-up or 'Go Big'?

While most homeowners often hope they can put off repainting their homes just one more year, such procrastination can end up being a costly decision in the end. An excessively humid summer (in Florida?....really?) can increase paint failure. This can cause damage to siding and internal wall paint which would require far more expensive repairs in the long run. Moisture eventually brings mildew and mold...you just don't even want to go there! With that in mind, it's best to tackle this common home improvement job as soon as you sense the need.

So, your need to paint......should you just touch it up or 'Go Big' and make a statement? You only live once and paint is the most inexpensive way to make a design statement in your home or business...so "Go Big". There is a science to colors and how they affect us in a space. I would recommend that if you don't have that specific talent, you get a professional designer to give you color palette ideas for your home or business. The color palette should work together in common from the exterior to the interior....or should it? I have a lot of clients who are afraid of color, but there is no reason why a closet can't be orange, a kitchen pantry purple or a laundry room magenta as long as it works within an overall concept, or it can come off as tacky. Every room can be fun, and if you don't like it, you can change it. What's the worst thing that can happen? It's only paint. Here is a decent website for some good color combinations and palettes: Click Here!

There are also many color tricks that can be achieved. Here are a few tips with 'Big' results! 

1. How about painting the bottom of a table red. If you have lighter color floors, the light will reflect up and cast a reddish color under the table. Everyone will wonder where the color is coming from! Again, if it is in the overall color palette it will be a great design aesthetic.

2. Here is another suggestion from Sarah Cole director, Farrow & Ball "Paint the insides of shelving a dark color. That will set off dishes, glassware or books. Also, if you have a long, narrow hallway, paint the walls a dark color from ceiling to floor, making sure to include the baseboards and molding so the line is unbroken. Then paint the floor (or choose a light color floor) and the ceiling white. The effect will be that the floor and ceiling will reflect light, so it's not a dark, gloomy space, and the walls will look graphic. It will also make the room that you're entering look especially bright and airy".

3. Here is a good one from Sarah Fishburne, manager of innovation and design, Home Depot "Use the Eight-Foot Rule, which says that contrary to what people think, white ceilings can seem lower. The rule is that if your room is less than eight feet high, paint the ceiling a shade or two lighter than your wall color. If your room is higher than eight feet, paint the ceiling two shades darker than your wall color".

4. Should you use flat, eggshell, semi-gloss or gloss? here are some tips from Vic Barnhill, Mythic Paint  Flat or matte paints don't reflect light, so they hide imperfect walls better than higher-sheen paints such as eggshell, semi-gloss or high-gloss. However, the smoother the finish, the easier it is to wipe dirt and grit out of cracks and crevices. Flat paints allow moisture to penetrate the walls, and that can result in a mold or mildew problem, so it's best to use them in low-humidity areas such as bedrooms, living rooms and hallways. Keeping that in mind, use semi-gloss paints in bathrooms and kitchens or any other high-humidity area. They have tighter films and are able to repel water. High-gloss finishes are good for cabinetry and trim. Remember, if you're using high-gloss paint on walls or ceilings, make sure the surfaces are perfectly smooth, because it will show every imperfection".

If you are doing it for yourself or selling a home, the bottom line is that when you have to re-paint, why not make your space look like a designer space? Why not go for a home run? It just takes a good concept and color palette to make the space work and separate it from the everyday same old, same old. It's just paint!