Are you painting your place? Here are some tips from a reader about things to keep in mind before you decide on how to paint it.
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The Budget Painter
Painting is not a luck only based gamble like reverse roulette. Once painted, things cannot be retreated. So, a better understanding is required. If cheap is your goal, rest assured there are plenty of options. Prices vary drastically. If you care more about getting the cheapest than the best, then a quick visit to Craigslist.org will give you oodles of options. Sometimes this is the only option, and when it is, doing a little research can yield fantastic results without breaking the bank.
All that said, even worse than underpaying for shoddy work is overpaying for shoddy work. There are numerous painting companies out there who will provide you fancy, detailed estimates that are way out of your price range. When considering the cost of a project, use common sense. Consider the square footage, and then estimate a price that would seem reasonable if you were the one doing the job. Oftentimes, painting companies will take advantage of home-owners lack of do-it-yourself knowledge and exploit it for their own benefit. If someone is too expensive for you, then simply don’t hire them. Many painting companies will say that the work they do is worth the extra money, but keep in mind that this is painting we’re talking about. You’re not asking for the Sistine Chapel to be recreated over your dining table, and you shouldn’t have to pay for it.
Primer, Paints, And Brushes, Oh My!
There are other factors to consider when choosing a painter. For example, does the painter you’re considering provide the primer? If so, is it dark or light to suit your desired color? Does the painter provide their own equipment, including ladders for those high ceilings? Make sure the estimate includes the cost of at least two coats of primer, just to be on the safe side. You don’t want to be stuck between a rock and a hard place if their light-colored primer isn’t dark enough to get by with one coat of actual paint.
Google, Yelp, and Twitter
The Internet has provided a lot of transparency with regards to companies and their reputations. In the old days, an unhappy customer could only issue sometimes empty threats about filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Nowadays, a simple Tweet or a review on Yelp.com will provide you with all the firing power necessary. Companies know this, and it’s therefore always a good idea to simply Google, Yelp, or Twitter search their company. You might find nothing at all, be pleasantly surprised, or stumble upon a red flag that could potentially save you hundreds of dollars.
When it’s all said and done, you’ll be happy you took the time to find the interior painter that was right for you.`
Basics of Choosing Paint Colors for Interiors
The right paint and accent colors for a room depends on its purpose. Humans are conditioned to feel that certain colors mean certain things, an instinct that runs to the core of consciousness. This is part of human self-defense; if a person learns by experience that red fire is hot, he will not get too close to it again. If he learns that blue-green ocean water is cool and refreshing, he will associate that color with those feelings.
The Psychology of Color and Emotions
Most people have favorite colors, to which they unconsciously attach pleasant emotional connections, perhaps the result of a fond memory. Very often a person may truly dislike a color for the same reasons. Cultural differences can also have a great impact on the psychology of color. For instance, in many cultures, purple is the color of royalty, so people who are part of those cultures feel respect or awe when they see it.
Bloomsburg University's Graphic Design lesson plan includes a section about color and how it affects mood. This teaches student designers that the colors they choose can have an impact on the advertising they create. The same is true for the colors chosen for home interior; they can and do affect the mood of a room's occupants.
Using Color to Warm or Cool a Room
The emotional temperature of color is another important factor in interior design. Reds, oranges and yellows are felt as warm colors and can help a cold room feel warmer. Blues, greens and violets are considered cool colors and can help to cool down a room. However, it should be noted that the shade or intensity of colors can also have a large impact on the emotional temperature – a very bright reddish purple can start to have a very hot feel while light pink can feel cool.
How to Use Color Schemes for Decorating
Monotones are varying tones of one color and can be calming, especially when used with a calm color. Monotone may be a bit boring for some, but it works well in certain environments. Monotone becomes Monochromatic when a large variety of different shades of the same color are used.
Complementary color schemes are schemes that are built around two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel such as blue and orange. These colors together help to create excitement and expectation in a room.
Analogous color schemes are made up of three colors that are next to each other on the color wheel. This color scheme is often found in nature such as the colors in a sunset that range from blue through purple to red.
Using these color schemes along with colors that are chosen for their emotional value is the key to decorating a home or a room to suit an emotional need. These are the design principles that help transform a room from simply a place to be, to a place that people want to be in.