Now that spring is within reach, time to think about freshing up your paint life. The trends, according to the Home Fashion Gods, are moody hues such as navy and hunter green, soft terra cottas and clays, woodland shades like mushroom, muted pastels such as pale pink, misty blues, and vibrant citrus shades for accenting with. As always, when it comes to trends KWOW THYSELF! If you aren't down for painting again in a few years, steer clear of trends or grey some of these colors down for better longevity.
I think we all know by know that what you see on the swatch in the store isn't always the color you find on the wall when you are done painting. This is largely to do with lighting. The best way to get the color you want is to grab as many paint swatches, in the colors you are interested in, and take them home to decide on the finalists. I would say choice about 3 different swatches and then head back to the store to get pint size samples of the colors you have chosen. Next, paint the walls with 24 inch squares in full sun light and in the shade. Let it dry and take notice. What happened? Do you still like it both in the light and the shade? Live with it for a few days and see how you feel as time goes on. I know this seems like a pain in the butt, and watching paint dry is super boring, but this will save you time, money and the head ache of repainting should you get buyer's remorse because the color changed once it dried.
Now that you have your color(s) selected, how much do you buy? It doesn't have to be a guessing game; there is a formula. Step 1: Figure out the square footage by multiplying the wall length x the wall height. For example: four living room walls are 12 feet wide and 9 feet high; 12' x 12' x 12' x 12' = 48' x 9' = 432 square feet. Step 2: Divide the number of square feet by the number of square feet the gallon of paint you are using will cover. Generally speaking most gallons of paint will cover about 300 to 600 ft. So, for this example only one gallon will be necessary. Clear as mud? Good.
I hope the tips that I have shared here will help you make a better informed decision and avoid some of the pitfalls of painting. Painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to transform your room without committing to a full on makeover. So, HAPPY PAINTING EVERYBODY!!!