How to make a small room feel a bit bigger with only one color paint

Hi there,

Thanks for stopping by, it’s been a while since I’ve written, I’ll try to do better. We’ve been busier here, and what we’re seeing is instead of people starting to build new, they are wanting to fix up their homes, and even their offices. And there seems to be a renewed interest in what color can do in different spaces.
Here at Painted Walls we had an interesting situation with a small dining room. The client wanted the room to feel bigger, but only wanted to use one color of paint.

This room is very “east coast traditional” with a chair rail, so my suggestion would be to use a high sheen paint below the chair rail and a very low sheen paint on the wall above. This serves 2 purposes, one a very durable finish in the area that gets the most wear, and two, an ever so slight difference in look. It’ll even make the room feel a bit bigger.

Another tip for gloss paint would be to paint this ceiling in the same color, but with the high gloss sheen. This will again enlarge the room while giving a bit of elegance for nightly dinners!

This little tip works in most cases, it won’t raise the ceiling, but will add a more spacious feel to the room.

For more tips and hints click here for  Awaken Your Inner Designer Collection, a terrific decorating resource I found.

Thanks for visiting, stop back soon, we’ll have more painting secrets from the pros that you need to save time and money.   

Deb

I’ve Found a Terrific Resource!

     Hi There,

   I’m so excited and can’t wait to tell you  about  

   this terrific resource I’ve found!

Are you tired of cruising all over the web to find answers to your decoratng questions?

       I know how you feel. I’m always on the lookout for good solid tips and information I can relay to you, and sometimes I feel as if I’m in a rowboat with a hole and a bucket!

        Well, here is an excellent resource for tip and hints for decorating your home. It’s a first if it’s kind resource that will not only help you decorate your home according to your personality, lifestyle and goals, but it will help you to do it easier and faster than ever!                       

 How Cool Is That!

The books are called 

“The Awaken Your Interior Designer Collection”

It’s comprised of four interactive home decorating and decor eBooks that were designed to work in seamless harmony with one another.

Inside, you’ll find more than 1000 photos and images and 700 pages to help turn your decorating dreams in to reality.

After reading the eBooks, I was very impressed and thoroughly convinced that they will help you create warm, inviting spaces..just as you imagined!

The Collection was written by Marney Makridakis and Michael Holland, two people I trust to guide you to decorating success..no matter what size home or budget you have.

So click on the picture to learn more.

Happy Decorating!!

Deb

“What is decorative painting, and what makes it different from faux painting?”

 I get that question almost more than any other, so I’ll explain the differences here.
     Faux is French for fake or false. This refers to making something look like something else. Think;  drywall looking like a slab of marble, or panels of fine mahogany etc.
    Decorative painting entails using color, various techniques and products to add what I call
visual texture to surfaces. Think; a technique that makes the walls look as though upholstered with fine leather.
       There is a poster on the wall in my office, “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.”  I look at  Painted Walls with that mindset. If you have a vision, an idea in mind for a room, area, wall, or even furniture, it’s very possible to achieve with what I call “Paint Magic.”
      Paint really is magic! Combining just the right color and techniques with different products can produce an unlimited array of “looks” and “finishes” for any surface you want to change. This is the part that is the most fun!

With this economy, have you been putting off something new for your home? Why not revisit what you already have and “change it up” for a fresh look.

How to Pick the Perfect Color

Hi there, this post is more of a question than anything else, and I’ll explain why.

I am a decorative and faux painter and have been practicing my craft for over 12 years now, and I’ve noticed a growing trend. Well, I shouldn’t say growing, as I realized this fact several years ago. It began when I started helping people pick colors for their home because, and you know this, there are few  regular painter on the planet that will help you pick the perfect color.

So, this brings me to my question. I’m considering writing a course to help people pick the perfect color every time. What I need your help with is a few of the following ideas:

What bugs you the most about all those paint  colors?

What is the most painful thing about color.

What keeps your walls plain white?

What would help you the most in your quest?

And frankly, anything else that you can think of to solve the white wall problem.

So drop me a note here on your thoughts.

Thanks, and I’ll keep you posted on  the results.

Deb

How to Cover Dark Paint

Do you need to repaint a wall that has been painted in a dark color?

Hi, I’m Debbie,  and this new blog is all about those questions that us everyday ”Do It Yourselfers”  have. My company is called Painted Walls. We do decorative painting, faux finishing, and custom color consulting.

My purpose is to answer your questions and share tips and shortcuts we’ve learned over the years. Maybe even talk about color choices and how light affects those choices.

Now back to that dark color repaint project!

Say maybe a dark green or navy blue? Ugh, a daunting task to say the least. First, a question, have you picked out a color? If you have then the very first step is to prime the dark wall, but wait, don’t buy a cheap primer, go ahead and spend a bit, buy the best primer you can afford (I recommend the Zinser product for latex paint) and have your paint company tint it to a lighter shade of your choice color.

SPECIAL NOTE: if you need a product that is a stain blocker, use

“Kilz 2″  for latex paints. Great Product!!

After the primer coat dries, (usually in 2-4 hours depending on where you live) you should be able to paint your chosen color on that wall in one coat!

Always remember, primers and preparation are the most important step of any painting project.

Talk with you soon

Deb