I moved into my current house when I turned twenty. I was really excited about finally leaving my parents place and having a space I could call my own. Though It was a single room, it was all the space I needed to start life as a young bachelor. What is a bachelor without his starter pack? A three-seater couch, a 4 by 6 sized bed, fluffy carpet, 40 and above inch television and most importantly, a noisy stereo.
I liked everything about my new residence. It was spacious, the ceiling had a reasonable height, the tiles were in good condition, and generally, it was a nice place to be. The only part of the house that didn’t make me happy were the walls. The previous occupant had repainted them from white to light blue.
Painting blue on your walls is a bold move especially when the house doesn’t get too much natural light. Even though blue is regarded as a colour that inspires calmness and peace, it can also bring about feelings of depression and coldness. It is no coincidence that feelings of boredom and lacking desire at the beginning of the week are referred to as “Monday blues”. Lots of people underestimate the effect that colours have on our mood.
The process of repainting my own house led me into a whole lot of information that was unknown to me. Here are some tips that I learnt to help you arrive at a decision the next time you are thinking about redecorating your house and giving it a new look. For small spaces, I would recommend that you to attempt to paint your own walls. It is not too complicated and doing the work yourself will save you the cash you would have used for labour.
- Your Budget
To know how much paint you need and the amount to spend, take precise measurements of your walls, noting down the length and width. Take these measurements with you to the hardware or paint shop where you will be advised accordingly on the exact amount of paint to purchase. There are a multitude of paint brands available in the market. Each brand is unique and prices might differ from brand to brand. For those in rental houses, I would suggest that you choose affordable brands since you might move after a while. No need to break the bank to paint only to vacate not having enjoyed the fruits of your labour.
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- Type of Paint
There are particular factors to consider when picking the type of paint you want to use. You have the choice of water-based paints and oil-based. Oil-based are the premium kind that is usually more expensive. They have a brighter, more glossy finish that is more appealing to the eye. Some people note the oil-based paint can be distracting as it reflects a lot of light. It also takes relatively longer to dry and has a strong smell that might take a few days to go away.
The water-based paints, on the other hand, might not have a glossy finish but instead, offer an understated elegant finish that is not too distracting. These paints also take shorter durations of time to dry and occupants can move into the house within a day or two after the painting.
- Preparations
Before you can start painting, you need to inspect your walls for cracks or bumps. These imperfections may likely take away from a job well done. You need to level up your walls by skimming them with plastering paste which can be easily bought in local hardware stores. Once all cracks are covered, sand the surface using sandpaper to ensure it is smooth and even.
It is also advised that before you apply the new paint, you should first paint a layer of undercoat which will help to blend in the new colour. For those who don’t have large spaces or multiple rooms where you can shift their furniture, simply arrange the furniture in the centre of the room and cover them with sheets if necessary. To ensure that the paint doesn’t spill on the floor, you can improvise by laying down pieces of old newspaper on the edges of the wall.
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- Tools
You will need to procure a couple of tools that will help you to effectively get through the process of painting. First, you will need sandpaper to even out the surface of the walls, water or turpentine for thinning depending on the type of paint in use, an overcoat to prevent your skin from coming into contact with the paint, a face mask to protect you from the strong smell of the paint especially when using oil-based paints. A roller brush to paint through open surfaces and a hand brush for more precise finishing in the areas where the roller wouldn’t be ideal.
- Colour
People have different preferences when it comes to the choice of colours. These preferences can be attributed to culture, background and individuality. People with adventurous personalities will tend to be more experimental with colours whereas the more conservative ones will prefer something simple and understated. Having established that colours do affect our mood, I would recommend that you pick a colour that makes your house feel warm and makes it look good as well. Repainting a house is a fun experience that can make your rooms look different and boost your mood every time you come home.
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Here are some tips you can use for bedrooms – Bedroom Paint Color Ideas: What’s Your Color Personality? Also, check out The Absolute Best Paint Colors For Your Living Room.
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