Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Unique Paint - Paint That Will Impress you & your Home - Got Milk?

The most economical way to transform a room is by using paint. Whether it is used as a SPLASH of color or in full scale it WILL MAKE A HUGE difference in how your room "feels" and "looks". Below I reveal MY favorite impressive paints. I bet that at least ONE of them (if not all) will IMPRESS YOU. Here they are:

Chalkboard Paint!

This is my latest FAVORITE! I am a firm believer that ADULTS can have FUN TOO which is why I like using chalkboard paint to modernize a look "in an unconventional way". All you need is to prime the wall 1st, then paint away, let dry and HAVE FUN WRITING ON THE WALLS. Chalk is easily removable with paper/water or an eraser board.

Magnetic Paint!

What is AMAZING about this paint - well apart from transforming your wall into a magnetic surface - is that the magnetic paint is actually the primer; therefore you can select your own paint (whatever color your heart desires) as the top coat. How COOL is THAT! Go to www.kling.com for more information.

Metallic Paint!

How luxurious would the color of pearls look on your wall. Well, now you can EASILY achieve it! Ever dream of having an area with the colors & shine of gold, bronze, copper, and silver? Well now you can! Go to
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/ for more information.

Milk Paint!

Yes, you read correctly. The ingredients (now don't try to brew this at home!) are milk/cottage cheese, lime, and earth pigment. The paint is intended to be applied to wood. It is environmentally safe, weather resistant, has no harmful odors, and easy to clean up. How impressive is THAT! Want more information? Go to
http://www.realmilkpaint.com/ for more information. GOT MILK?

Did I win the bet? Did I surprise and impress you with the paint selection? Remember there are TONS of unique paint & painting techniques to use! I strive to always present my clients with unique painting ideas and I would be happy to help you as well.

Remember, live BEAUTIFUL and COMFORTABLE!

About Author:
Ada Gonzalez is the creative director of Ada's Interior Design, Inc. in New York. She designs solutions that provide comfort & function with a BIG SPLASH of style without having to spend hi-end prices on furniture & furnishings. Her designs have appeared in the Life & Style section of The Journal News and the Lohub Blog of Westchester County. In April 2007 she won a design competition called "Interior Motives". She was an Interior Decorating subject specialist for DETC (Distant Education Training Council) spring 2007. Her weekly newsletter called “Smart Decorating! E-News” is her way of reaching out and sharing decorating tips to people across the United States. To get more information go to
http://www.adasdecoratingsolutions.com/
Article Source:
http://www.articlesbase.com/

Featured Video:
Metallic Venetian Plaster

Custom design your walls with metallic Venetian plaster. Watch Sandra Kiss London of Faux Like a Pro show you how to use Venetian plaster in lieu of traditional house paint. Go to www.Fauxlikeapro.com for more ideas.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Painting Business - 3 Great Ways To Make Fast Cash in the Painting Business

Have you been looking for a business to start? A simple way that you could make some fast cash? Have you been wanting your own painting business but you don't want to quit your job and possibly go broke?

Have you thought about a painting business where you could do some small side-jobs each month to help your house payment and pay the bills? Maybe you are looking for something better, but hey, this is a good start profit-wise!

Maybe you are working mostly at home right now and you could use an extra $1,000 a month to pay the bills so you can continue to work at home the rest of the time.

If so, listed below are three great ways that you can start your own painting business and make some red-hot immediate income on the side. This is also a great way to learn the trade before going into it full time.

I started my own house painting business in 1991. Since then I have learned quite a bit about interior and exterior painting. I also learned quite a bit about drywall repair. If you know how to get customers and how much to charge, the rest can be learned as you go. When I first started out I ate quite a few jobs because I didn't know how much to charge.

Today I can actually make more money in a day and a half painting than I did all week long at my last regular full-time job. And it's fun to be able to relax and enjoy your work knowing that you are going to get paid well for it.

I have listed below three easy to start, low-cost businesses that revolve around my painting trade. Each one can make you a quick $300 - $500 for just a few easy hours work and over a thousand a week if you wish. The reason I tell you about these 3 business ideas listed below is because I know them and they make me money. These are 3 proven profit makers that you too can specialize in.

#1 Residential/Commercial Painting Business: If you love to paint this is a handy service you can render for the busy homeowner and business owners as well. Many wives don't let their husbands go near a paint brush. Many customers hate to paint and would rather pay someone else to do it for them. I started my painting business with just a few basic painting tools and a beater car. My business over the years has given me good immediate income whenever I need it.

#2 Faux Painting Business: If you like faux painting, you can take on small jobs here and there. Get yourself some basic faux painting tools and a 2' x 3' sheet of plastic to practice different patterns on and you will get the hang of it fast. If you like this type of painting business you could get small one or two-room jobs per week and make a thousand dollars per week even. Faux painting offers high profit margins if you get good at it.

#3 Drywall Repair Business: Drywall repair goes hand-in-hand with a painting business. You can easily charge $300 - $500 doing simple small repairs like water damage and texturing.

As an example, I just finished a small repair job for a total of $335. It took me an hour and a half the first day and the second day took 6 hours. Not too bad a wage for only 7 1/2 hours work. $10 of the money went for fuel, another $3.50 for a roller cover because I painted it up one fast coat. I used maybe $2 worth of drywall compound in the quick-dry formula. So I netted about $320 or $40 per hour labor.

You may also get small jobs hanging sheets of drywall. A customer might have a basement or garage that they need drywall hung in. They will want you to tape and finish it as well. You will most likely get asked to do the painting also and this can double your profits.

So there you go. 3 easy low-cost, time-proven ways you can start a painting business or painting-related business. All of these variations can be started for less than $500. If you did just one small job a week it could mean an extra $300 - $500 or $1200 - $2,000 a month extra income.


About Author:
Lee Cusano has owned and operated his own successful painting business since 1991. He has also helped many others to start their own painting business with his "Paint Like a Pro Estimating and Advertising CD-ROM". Lee also offers a free report titled "How To Gain a High Success Rate For Getting Painting Jobs". To get it go to http://www.Painting-Business.com
Article Source: http://www.goarticles.com

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Faux Painting Tips and Ideas

Faux painting tips

Faux painting is a very convenient form of painting the interiors of the house which not only is do it yourselfer type of work but also adds an exceptional look to the entire room. It’s a great way of creating a soothing and pleasant atmosphere around the room. Faux painting can be done with many techniques such as sponging, rag rolling, dragging etc depending upon the type of the surface. Each technique has its own individual specialty and needs that extra tools and materials. Faux painting can be easily learned over the internet from the all the online faux painting schools and one can also have a professional degree by doing a course on faux painting. These schools help the student learn faux painting in the easiest possible way so as to help them do all the future painting in and around the home by themselves.

General materials and tools needed

In order to have a basic project of faux painting one need the normal tools which are required for almost all the techniques. The following is the list of all the materials needed for undergoing a basic faux painting project:

* Paint tray
* Lint free rags
* Rubber gloves
* Painters tape
* Zinsser products such as Blend and glaze etc.

General tips on faux painting

The following is a in general list of tips which would be very helpful in performing a faux painting project in a most simple but sweet way:

* The surface should and must be prepared very properly before starting to decorate it.
* The experimentation should be done first on a sample board rather then directly approaching the wall.
* The work should be divided into small sections. One wall or section should be completed stopping at the corner or the natural break.
* The work should be done very quickly well in time before the glaxe becoming tacky may be around 10 to 15 min. In case of performing negative applications a thick wet edge of unworked glaze should be left at the end of each section to help allow the blending of the next one.
* The use of protective gloves is often recommended while glazing for easy clean up.
* The use of lint free rags such as funnels, diapers, cheesecloth or sheets would be advisable.

In this way following the above tips very sincerely one can get outstanding results from a simple faux painting project.

Faux painting ideas

Faux is a French word for the word ‘false’ or ‘fake’. So we can say that this painting is all about false illusion. It creates an illusion of depth and complexities to the painted walls, doors, and ceilings. Till now we have come across popular effects achieved by faux painting in a stone, parchment, and in an antiquarian. Faux finishing provides a variety of interesting techniques that gives depth and personality to walls and other objects. In other words, we can say that it provides life to the non living things also. Faux painting can be both simple and a complex one. It provides a purpose to everything whether it is wood, marble or leather. It is less expensive alternative for using natural materials. It is a unique style whether it is done by any individual or a professional. Through layering of paints and glazes done by hand it provides the surface appear to be something it is not. It is the easiest and creative outlet for people who are interested in arts and is a wonderful medium for experimentation.

Implementation

Though faux is applied to any kind of surface but it generally involves wall preparation and repair, one or two base layers of paint, one or more coatings of a complementary glaze and paint mix, and a topcoat that acts as sealer and protectant. But it is not so that it is only limited to walls, it is also useful for revitalizing furniture or cabinets and adds appeal to walkways or other concrete structures. Faux paintings are applied for bare walls. Before one get out the sponge the wall should be ready and clean so that one can give a background color to it. Light colors are always ideal as a background as they show through the overlying paint to some degree and help in creating a sense of depth or roughness. Experienced painters recommend the background to be painted with semi-gloss or satin paint as most of the faux paints dry slowly on slightly slick backing surface which tends to heighten the desired effect.

Suitability

Faux paining is also suitable for children. Even small children can do this faux painting. This can be done by anyone as it is very easy to do. It can be done by anyone like the housewives, children and the old people.

About Author:
Jamie is the author of other
Faux Tips located at Home Improvement Tips Also check out our Home Improvement Tips Blog for other Tips. Please stop by and sign up for our free home imporvement tips news letter.
Article Source:
http://www.articlejoe.com/

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Mount Vernon Faux Painting Project - WallDreams.com

WallDreams latest project was in the Mount Vernon area, near George Washington's home. The following pictures are of the master bedroom and office, which were both faux painted by WallDreams. The bedroom was done in a parchment effect, 2 glazes applied with cheesecloth over a lighter basecoat and the office was was finished in a strie, or dragging technique of a deeper blue glaze over a light blue basecoat.

The master bedroom:



The office, light blue basecoat:




If the technique had been applied in two directions (and with the addition of using a check roller tool), it would take on more the appearance of denim.



Til next time,

Donna of WallDreams

Friday, April 11, 2008

Latest Photos From WallDreams Project - Mount Vernon

From strie to parchment to metallic paint and stripes, WallDreams latest project has it all. Located in the Mount Vernon area, just a few steps from our first President's home, this house was enhanced with several faux painting techniques. Very bold color choices - they love it! And the so do I! It was a pleasure to work with this young couple and make their new house a home.

2 before photos, though a basecoat for some of the metallic paint has already been started:



And the reveal:

Metallic Copper in the living room and in the stripes of the dining room along with a pearl paint.





Watching the blue herons, geese, ducks, hawks and a certain chatty red wing blackbird from their exceptional living and dining room view will be a pleasure for the new home owners for years to come. I will add the photos of the office and master bedroom tomorrow.


Til next time, keep those brushes clean,

Donna of WallDreams

Monday, April 7, 2008

Paint Rollers - Cut Any Room Down To Size

When you stare at a wall in a big room, armed only with a paint brush, you probably feel seriously overwhelmed. Luckily, there is a tool that makes the task much less terrifying - the versatile, amazing paint roller. Paint rollers allow people to drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to paint a large, flat surface, like a wall with few windows or a ceiling.

Most people don't realize that there are any options beside the cheap DIY grade paint roller handles that can be found in almost any big box store. They apply paint to the wall just fine, especially if the DIYer springs for the nicer roller covers. However, cutting in around windows and getting paint into corners is just plain impossible with these rollers. Still there are ways around this problem. You can cut in with a brush first and then go back and roll the rest of the walls.

Recently, I discovered a trick the pros use - a professional paint roller. Those little plastic end caps that keep the rollers from getting into the corners are missing on these rollers. That means that you need to do less cutting in and you can avoid using the brush to paint corners all together. However, you'll still need to paint the area where the wall connects to the ceiling and crevices that are too tight for the roller to get into by hand. If your baseboard trim is already installed, you may also want to cut in around the baseboard with a brush, too.

When you shop for a paint roller handle and covers, you should start by thinking about the job you are buying them for. The traditional short roller is fine for normal walls. If you are doing a cathedral ceiling, though, you may want to look for a rod extension. This extension screws into the handle and makes it much easier to reach higher spots.

Next, think about the texture on the walls. There are covers that work better with different wall surfaces. For instance, popcorn finishes need a roller that can handle that rough, uneven surface without falling apart and there are special roller covers for this type of wall.

You can also find covers that create a pattern. These covers make certain faux painting techniques much easier, since rolling is so much quicker than stenciling or freehand painting a design.

About Author:
Niall Roche - Painting a huge wall in any home can be a scary task. Painting rollers make that scary task a thing of the past. Click on over to
PaintSplashes.com for more interior painting tips and ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

WallDreams Paint Ideas!

Paint Rollers and Covers 101
Cheapie covers are made with a cardboard roll inside and usually spatter paint profusely, while quality covers have a plastic roll.
A paint roller is the frame and handle that holds the roller cover. The most common size is the 9" and quality rollers are worth their investment. Some will easily release the cover by tapping the frame which is quite convenient.
3" to 4" trim roller - good for narrow areas.
Nap or pile - the length of fiber on the cover.
Synthetic covers - oil-base paint and primers.
Lamb's wool covers - water-base paint and primers.
Mohair covers - smooth surfaces, oil-base enamels, all paint types, varnish.
1/8" to 1/4" Short Nap: very smooth surfaces, enamels, gloss
3/8" to 1/2" Medium Nap: semi rough surfaces, latex, flat paints
3/4" to 1-1/4" Long Nap: rough surfaces, stucco, brick, block

Specialty roller covers:
Stippling - unique marking of paint and textured paint
Foam - smooth and textured available.
Fabric - good for rag rolling faux technique.
Stenciled - foam or rubber patterns, double roller available for blending two colors at once.

Roller cover prep - before using, roll the cover across tape to remove loose fibers.

Til we paint again,
Donna of WallDreams

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Getting the Baby Nursery Walls Ready

When planning your baby nursery, deciding on paint colors and then preparing and painting the walls is a major part of the design process. You will want to choose paint colors that go well with the theme or design scheme that you have decided on for your baby’s nursery. The best way to do this is to take a piece of the nursery bedding to the paint store with you to pick out paint samples. You may want to bring home the samples you choose to see how they look in the room. Sometimes the room’s lighting will affect how the colors look, so doing this may save you the trouble of repainting the room if you are unhappy with the results.

If time allows, it is best to paint the nursery at least a month or two before the baby is expected. This allows time for the room to air out. You may also want to consider choosing paint that has no or low VOCs (volatile organic chemicals). These types of paints may cost more but it is worth the additional cost since they will omit little or no fumes unlike normal paints.

If you want to get creative when painting the walls, you can try faux painting techniques such as sponging and ragging. Another idea is to stencil designs on to the walls that match the theme you have picked for the room. If you have an ocean theme, fish stenciled on the wall would look really cute. You can buy all the supplies you would need for stenciling or faux painting at your local home improvement or paint supply store.

Of course, you are not limited to paint when deciding what to do with the baby nursery’s walls. Wallpapers, wallpaper borders, and murals are all great options for the nursery walls. Wallpaper and border can sometimes be found to coordinate with your chosen nursery theme. Sports, airplane, nautical, animals, Precious Moments, and Winnie the Pooh are just a few of the themes that you should easily be able to locate wallpaper or borders for.

If you want to go with a wall mural for your baby nursery, there are several routes you can take. You can purchase a mural that can be put on the wall the same way wallpaper is. You just assemble the mural piece by piece like applying wallpaper. Another option available is paint by number mural kits that you paint on yourself. If you don’t want a mural that covers the whole wall, peel and stick decals are a great option. You can often find them to match many nursery themes. The last option is to have a muralist paint the mural. This can be quite pricey though unless you or someone you know is a gifted artist and able to do it.

Whatever you decide to do with your baby room walls, remember to take into consideration what you plan to do with the rest of the room’s décor. Having walls that complement the room’s theme and design will bring the whole room together.

About Author:
Rebecca Johnson is the owner of several websites including
Decorating-Your-Baby-Nursery.com which covers all aspects of planning a baby nursery and Las Vegas Wedding Informer which provides Las Vegas wedding planning information.

WallDreams Paint Ideas!
Awaiting A Baby, A Room With A View To Grow In
While counting down the months and days until the new little person arrives, how to decorate the nursery is on your mind. We’ve all seen the typical pink for girls and blue for boys which of course may need to change for the next child, and/or may only work for the first few years.

Why not play up the nursery to be a space for them to live and learn in? A mural can be done ranging on many themes, for instance:

The circus (leave off the clowns if they don't thrill you)
A jungle
The zoo
Nursery rhymes
Favorite cartoon characters
Cars, trucks, fire engines with little paved roads
Teddy bear picnic
Garden party
Tea party
Forest theme
Island theme
Farm animals
Boats, sailing, surf boarding
Princess (baby girl's name as "Princess Mary")
Puppies and kittens (any baby animals)
Clouds
Under the sea
Noah's ark
Cowboys
Butterflys, bugs, birds
Wizard of Oz
Winnie the Pooh
Sports - baseball, football, etc
Building blocks
Legos
Airplanes, rockets
Space, stars, moon
Kid games boards
As you see the list can go on and on. Children's rooms are a lot of fun just coming up with ideas to do!

Some nice neutral colors will see the room through the births of several children and a soft faux finish will give a room character as well.

Paint colors coordinated with the child’s toys makes the whole room balanced – the toys are part of the decorating scheme.

Chalk board paint in a section for mini artists.

For mommies to be - do not use oil paints yourself and better yet, leave the house while any painting is being done.

By the way, congratulations and best wishes for you and your new baby! Have fun creating a great baby room that will see the child through the first phases of their lives.

Keep those brushes clean,

Donna of WallDreams

Saturday, April 5, 2008

How To Paint Over Wallpaper

Here are the steps to painting walls with textured wallpaper to achieve a smooth finish:

1. Protect all trim with painter's tape.
2. Apply an odorless, oil-based primer to the walls. Make sure the room is well ventilated and that you wear a respirator. Do not use a latex- or water-based primer, as it will deactivate the glue under the wallpaper and create bubbles.
3. Once the primer is dry, apply the joint compound. Roll the joint compound onto an 8-by-4-foot area, then smooth it out with a trowel. Continue working around the room in sections until all the walls have been coated.
4. Allow the walls to dry for 24 hours.
5. Scrape the walls with a scraping tool to smooth out the joint compound.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for a second coat.
7. After the second coat has dried, it needs to be sanded using a 180-grit sandpaper or sanding sponge. Have a lot of light in the room during this step so you can see fine lines, scratches and nicks, which can easily be sanded out. Again, make sure the room is well ventilated and wear a respirator.
8. Clean up all the dust created by the sanding.
9. Now you apply one coat of primer and two coats of paint or more until full coverage is achieved.

Things you'll need for painting over wallpaper:

  • Ladder
  • Plastic
  • Drop cloths
  • Drywall pan and blades
  • Patching compound
  • Plastic snap off razor blades or utility knife
  • Odorless oil base primer
  • Blue tape
  • Sandpaper or sponges
  • 500 watt Halogen lights
  • Paint brushes
  • High quality non shedding solvent resistant sleeve for priming
  • About Author:
    Matt Jaworski
    Jaworski Coatings, Inc
    41735 Oberlin Elyria Road
    Elyria, Ohio 44035
    http://www.welovepainting.com/
    866-874-2114
    Article Source:
    http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Jaworski

    WallDreams Paint Ideas! Sometimes wallpaper removal is just not worth the bandwidth. Some older papers are a horror to remove and of course, how many layers are under there is a treasure hunt in pattern styles. Faux painting over wallpaper is a great choice, time and work saver when that worn out wallpaper has to go!

    Other points to consider when painting over wallpaper include:
  • Condition of the wallpaper - if good, seal the edges, seams and surface. If not too bad, reglue, sand and seal any bubbles or lifted areas.
  • How new the paper is - wallpapers that were applied in recent years may just pull off more easily with some Dif and a paper tiger (a little rolley claw thingie that perforates the paper). Follow the manufacturer's directions and be patient. Let Dif do its job.
  • The design texture of the wallpaper itself may influence what needs to be done to correct it - total removal and/or the finish over it.
  • How dark the print of the paper is will influence how many coats of primer and/or paint to cover it.
  • Clean the surface before priming.
  • Remember : Painting is far easier to change than wallpaper when you have decorating fever!


  • Enjoy All the Spring Colors,

    Donna of WallDreams

    Friday, April 4, 2008

    How to Disguise a Not so Smooth Wall

    Do you have one of those walls, with nicks and bumps and just all round tired looking wall? Maybe you removed very old wallpaper and its left a wall that either needs to be replaced with new drywall or plastered.

    Well, if this project was not in your budget this year, then why not try working with it, instead of covering it up! Have you ever done a faux finish? painted a mural? well both of these methods are great ways to extend the life of a "not so nice wall".

    First of all, make sure you wall is clean and dry, and any loose bits have been removed, then decide on your color theme. A mottled look is a great quick way to give the wall some life and a old world plaster look, and you can achieve this by painting the lightest color first. Your color theme should be of similar colors or just different shades of the same one for a mottled effect.

    While that is drying, get your next colors ready in small trays and add some glaze, (this extends the drying period to give you time to work with it) or if you can't get any glaze, thin the paint with a tiny bit of water, but you will have to work fast. Once your base coat is dry, start dabbing on your next color and find the effect you like, or take a cloth and basically "wash" the wall lightly with it, and keep adding other colors that are part of your theme.


    You should end up with a mottled look, that can appear like old plaster, and with your walls lumps and bumps this will actually help give it the look! You can experiment with different techniques, you can drag a dry paint brush through the wet paint to give a linen look.. just try different ideas, you have nothing to lose, this wall will look way better no matter what you do at this point! So don't worry if you are not a great artist, this makes for a nice bit of artwork when done and extends the life of the wall.

    Another great way is to paint a mural pick something simple to begin with, and then make sure you have the colors needed a quick hint, you don't want to be spending hundreds on all different colors of paints, just pick a simple scene that can use different shades of about 3 colors or whatever you have around your house if using latex, you can mix them to get your shades such as for trees, or sky or water make your mural simple and not too busy, and have fun! Depending on where this wall is, you could also let older kids become artists!.. especially since they love to paint on walls anyways, and this would definitely become a conversation piece!

    About Author:
    Diane Palmer http://www.make-crafts-for-cash.com/donnadewberry.html is a website by Diane Palmer, with more than 15 years in the crafts business. Learn creative ways to make and sell crafts, online, craft shows, fairs and more Turn your craft hobby into a business!
    Article Source:
    http://EzineArticles.com

    WallDreams Paint Ideas! Sponge painting and colorwashing in a low sheen medium tone are good ways to camouflage minor imperfections as well as using a tissue paper or paper bag effect. But it's always a good idea to correct as many of the flaws beforehand with scraping, spackle, and sanding (aka - old fashioned elbow grease), unless a plaster (not a Venetian plaster) is being applied for an "old world" look.

    Part of the "camouflage" effect of a faux finish or painted wall decoration (garland, vining, scrolls, a mural, etc.) is that it pulls the eye to the focal point and away from the wall surface. As always, the higher the sheen of the paint, those bumps, holes, ridges or a bad paint job basically glow in the dark. As a final disquise, a well-placed piece of furniture or picture hung on a wall over a boo-boo always works too.

    Keep those brushes clean!
    Donna of WallDreams

    Tuesday, April 1, 2008

    Paint Swatches - The Secret To Successful Decorating!

    Paint swatches are your best friend when it comes to choosing paint colors to decorate the walls, furniture and other items within your home. A paint swatch has been designed to show you the many shade possibilities you have if your focus is on one particular color.

    For instance, if you wish to paint your room blue possible shades that await you include: azure, cerulean, periwinkle, denim, navy blue, cobalt blue, sapphire, ultramarine, light blue, indigo and hundreds of other hues.

    Something else you will notice when looking at blue paint swatches, for example, is that you can choose blue hues that feature tones of green, purple and gray. Therefore, you have plenty to consider when you go color hunting.

    The only problem is, with so much to choose from, finding the right shade can be both a difficult and tedious task.

    To help you narrow down your decision making when it comes time to stare at the wall of paint swatches at your local paint or home improvement store, the following are some helpful interior painting tips you can keep in mind:

    Warm or Cool – Think of the room you will be painting. Is it an area where you do most of your relaxing, entertaining or eating? For instance, if you are painting your bedroom it’s a good idea to choose a cool color such as blue or green that encourages relaxation.

    On the other hand, if you are painting a kitchen or dining room you may want to use a warm red or orange to help increase appetite and conversation. Warm colored paint swatches include red, yellow and orange, while cool colors are blue, green and purple.

    Light - Medium -Dark – Once you select the main color, you need to decide if you would rather a light, medium or dark shade. Light shades are a good choice for rooms that are small such as bathrooms, or for rooms that have few or no windows. Light colors also create a more subdued look.

    Medium tones provide a more dramatic look and are a better choice for kitchens and large open spaces such as the family room.

    Dark tones are not typically used for walls and are more commonly used for painting room accents such as furniture, trim or cabinets. However, dark walls may be desirable in bedrooms or to compliment a theme.

    When looking at paint swatches you will notice that the colors featured on each swatch move from dark to light. Notice how different the darkest shade is to the lightest. Depending on if you use the dark or light shade will create an entirely different affect on the room you are painting.

    Theme – Do you have a theme that requires certain colors? For instance, if you are doing a country theme, light yellow and blue are ideal choices. On the other hand, a Mexican theme would require spicier colors such as cinnamon and terracotta. This is something else you need to keep in mind when looking at paint swatches.

    Neutrals – One of the biggest problems with adding color to walls is the color you choose may limit your ability to keep a space versatile. In other words, it is more likely for you to grow tired of a room that has a defined color on the walls than one with a neutral shade. There are plenty of neutral swatches you can consider.

    The more specific you are with your color preference the easier time you will have selecting helpful paint swatches.

    About Author:
    Michael Holland is the creator of home-decorating-made-easy.com. Visit his site for more great information about
    interior paint colors
    Article Source:
    http://www.isnare.com/

    Featured Video:
    How to Choose a Color Scheme & Paint: Interior Design & Painting Tips : Pt. 2 - Making a Color Diagram: Interior Design & Painting Tips



    Part 2 - Learn how to make a diagram of the color scheme for your home. Get painting tips for walls & ceilings in this free home improvement video.

    (Part 1 is featured on Monday, March 24, 2008)


    WallDreams Paint Ideas!
    What's in a paint chip name, anyway?
    You've seen them:
    Sherwin Williams' Bagel, Loveable, Elation, Impetuous, Sequin, and Spun Sugar.
    Benjamin Moore's King Arthur's Court, Cat's Meow, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Fun 'n Games.

    What color is a Cat's Meow anyway? The name doesn't give us a clue as to what it really is but it sounds kind of cute, right?

    It's all about the marketing and naming something so that it sells. Whether the name sounds tantalizingly delicious, catchy, or quirky the name doesn't matter a hoot once it's up on your wall. It will still be a form of red, blue, green, yellow, white, black, purple, pink, beige, etc. Don't let a name detract you from your color choice.

    A "Lemon Chiffon" at one store will not be the same at another store.

    There is no standard color naming scheme across the different paint manufacturer's nor are their sheen levels exact. If you try to match a color from one paint or home store, at another paint shop you probably will not match the color precisely.

    Tips:
    If you find you are running out of paint, stop at the nearest edge or corner, even if you are buying more paint from where you purchased the original color. Slight variations can and do occur.


    When using more than one gallon of the same paint, box them. This means get a large bucket and pour all the same paint together, mixing well. This eliminates any color discrepancies. Keep the pail covered between paint tray pourings as it is air's job is to dry the paint wherever it finds it.