I tried really hard to invent lyrics for a roller cover tune. The words “Wooster Pro Doo Z” just didn’t seem to flow with any music I could think of. Maybe rap or hip-hop? Hmmm…
So feeling melodically challenged, I gave up on the song thing and decided to just write about this roller cover instead.
Along with a great brush like a Corona, it is very important to use a quality roller cover when painting.
“Alright,” you say, “Now define quality.”
I had the pleasure of doing a lot of painting over the past few days. Yes, that is correct, I really did say pleasure. Given my passion for painting this should come as no surprise. However this painting session was extra special for one simple reason…
At Seven’s we help people all the time with tips and tricks to make painting easier. Here is a list of things we recommend “not” to do when undertaking a painting project…
courtesy of vrbo.com
It is almost that time of year again. The snow is was finally melting. The birds are chirping. The sun is out a bit more and the days are getting longer. Amazing what a little extra sunshine can do for your mood! (Not to mention how it tends to, ahem, highlight a few of your home’s exterior imperfections.) It is never to early to think about painting the outside of your house. Some touch up here and there or maybe even a whole new color scheme can really make you feel better about your home’s curb appeal.
I have pulled together a collection of homes and color schemes for you to consider.
Finding ways to make your kids rooms interesting and functional is not always easy. It is especially difficult when you have pre teens at home who would like nothing better than to paint everything black.
If you have a fan in your home (like I do, Madison you know who you are) here are some decorating ideas for you.
Every year as a designer, I wait with eager anticipation for Benjamin Moore’s Color Pulse–color forecast. I love knowing what colors and design elements will be popular over the next year. The color professionals at Benjamin Moore spend a lot of time and effort pulling together the elements of their forecast and it is always so interesting to watch for their predictions to become reality. Traveling to all areas of the world, they pay very close attention to the social, cultural and economic influences in those areas and in ours. This spring and throughout the year 2011, their color predictions are based on 4 main themes, that of Farm, Order, Escape and Tribe.
I am going to let you in on a little secret. Shh! Okay here goes…
I am a self proclaimed paint addict but I won’t be appearing on that new ‘Strange Addictions’ show anytime soon (it seems they don’t want people who don’t eat what they’re addicted to).
Anyway, I do love painting but don’t love the idea of having to apply 4 coats to get the walls covered. Somewhere around coat number 3 I start getting a little testy. I don’t love paint that is so sticky you can’t roll it. I despise paint that splatters everything in somewhat close proximity to the roller. I can’t stand paint that looks like plastic. And I really detest any paint that makes my painting job more difficult! So, it is totally worth it to me to spend the extra money and get a great product which translates into a much better painting experience.
How much extra $$? Not as much as you would think.
Did you know premium paint only costs about 15 cents per square foot?
courtesy of flickr creative commons
It can be a challenge to know what to do with a foyer. Stairways, railings and high ceilings make them very difficult to contend with. Most people will hire a professional painting contractor to do the work which makes the pressure to find a great color even more important.
I have always felt a foyer or entry should give a welcoming feel and set the stage for the rest of the home. No matter what your style there is a wall color that will work for you…
courtesy of freshhome.com
Could we have a harder group of people to decorate for than the teenaged male?
They are not exactly outspoken when it comes to the decor of their rooms. In fact most of the teenaged guys I know tend to shrug and mumble, “I don’t know…whatever…” Don’t be fooled. They really do care they just don’t want to talk about it.
They have long out grown their cutesy themed rooms. They may appear indifferent to the whole design thing but they really do want a comfortable space for hanging out or studying or they may want a space to reflect their various current interests. Over the years I have had requests from guys (reluctantly dragged into Seven’s with their parents) ranging from an all black room to a room with different colors on every wall to giant sports murals to snowboarding wallpaper.
Many of us as parents would draw the line at an all black room though. Sorry guys.
But I have come up with a few different ideas for you.
courtesy of photobucket
It seems a lot of my design customers are getting ready to re do their kitchens and bathrooms. Many of them have concerns about mold and mildew from excess moisture and concerns about the durability of the paint itself– the ability to withstand repeated washings.
Durability is very important especially if there are kids who can’t keep the toothpaste in the sink or keep the water off the walls after washing their hands. (I know my kids aren’t the only ones who do this:)
Or if they have their very own Emeril who occasionally gets crazy with the pasta sauce. (My husband + cooking = mess on a nuclear fallout level!!)
Instead of installing a sink in the garage for teeth brushing and hiding all the pots and pans, it may be best to look into a more durable paint finish for these areas.
Color of the Year 2011
WOW! This color fantastic!! Rich and luscious yet soft and velvety Vintage Wine could be used in any space!
Even these wine bottle corks are the color of the year!
What a great gift!
Twelve days of painting? Are you kidding me?
Just to put your mind at ease, your painting project should not take 12 days.
Mine however is a different story. Instead of the usual holiday song, I made up my own version sung to the tune of, you guessed it …
With so many paint + primer products out there these days how do you know which one is the best? Is it really true that you can skip the primer? Do they really work?
First, here is a little information on both. Primers typically have better adhesive properties and are made to bind and seal the surface you are getting ready to paint. Paints have more solids and are made to go on more thickly and give you color and better performance.
I don’t know about you but this time change has been really hard to take this year. I don’t know if it was because of the great summer and fall we had but I am really feeling it. I suppose I could consider moving closer to the Equator but in spite of my complaining, I still love Michigan. (Plus I hear the bugs are REALLY big in South America. Eww.)
I guess I may be here a while. So to compensate for the absence of light in the late afternoons I have been thinking about using some more uplifting color choices in my home.
When I first started at Seven’s I really had not done any real painting. Decorative painting or faux finishing did not require me to be skilled in the areas of cutting in or rolling. Yes, you have to roll glaze on some areas but you don’t have to be fussy because you are usually manipulating the wet glaze with some sort of tool so roller marks are not an issue. You can use masking tape to help with edging to get your tool in close enough to the ceilings and trim work.
So I happily went along without really knowing what it takes to paint. Until I had to paint the first room in my first house. The nursery.
I’m pretty sure in a recent blog post I was complaining about the heat. Hmmm…what a change! As usual in Michigan you blink and the temperature drops 30 degrees!
I went on a paint color search for hues that help give a feeling of warmth and comfort with names that made me feel toasty.
Need help figuring out how much paint you need? Check out this handy paint calculator from Benjamin Moore.
(Most paint covers 350 – 400 square feet per gallon)
I am so happy about Pottery Barn’s paint color choices for this fall. Some are rich and color saturated, some are soft and neutral but they are all so livable! Here are a couple of my favorites…
“It’s time.” I stated to my husband last evening.
“It’s time for what?” he asked, half paying attention to me (perhaps in the hopes that I would just go away). Oh no, my friend. You would be mistaken.
“It’s October,” I replied, hoping those words would be enough of a reminder of what is to come.
Insert his extremely dramatic sigh here: _______ !!
BRRR! Well, that didn’t take long. Was it really just a couple of weeks ago I was complaining about the heat? Yes, yes it was. I’m just never happy!
Instead of counting the goosebumps on my arms, I figured I should get a list together of all the things I have to get done before the snow flies. Thankfully the cooler weather is a sufficient motivator for me to tackle a few things–that and the warmth I will generate by getting up, moving around and working around the exterior of my house.
