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…
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 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.
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.
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.
“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: _______ !!
While walking through the mall the other day I passed through a large cosmetics department. As I peered at and pondered over the many selections and interesting colors, it struck me how much painting a room and applying makeup have in common with each other.
Some will call me crazy for making such a comparison. (If you have read my previous posts on my paint-a-holism you will know I am a little bit paint crazy.) Don’t you remember years back when people referred to make up as ‘face paint’? So why not paint as make up? Makes sense to me. In fact it makes sense to others as well…
courtesy of photobucket
Normally I am pretty fearless. I do not hesitate to take on any type of paint project. I thought I would look forward to having a deck to stain, I really did. (Our first house didn’t have one)
So when we built our 2nd house a few years ago I was so excited to have a deck to stain. It’s not very big 12 x 16. No stairs. Straight spindles. Pressure treated lumber.
Simple right?
It’s hard to believe with over 4,000 paint colors at Seven’s, it can be hard to find one to match the color you have in mind. Hard to believe but it happens, a lot. Here are a few examples of what we hear from our customers…
“I need to touch up and my husband (or wife) threw away the can!!” (can’t be gender specific here, it just depends on who is the organizer at your house)
“I love this color but I would love it more if it were a little bit lighter.”
“I have always wanted a color exactly like: the leaves on my maple tree, this lava rock, my peony flower petal, this spotted stuffed dog, my sweet daughter’s blue eyes, my son’s college sweatshirt, etc… (you name it, we’ve been asked to match it!)
courtesy of photobucket & aklindsey
Why are people so intimidated by painting?
Is it the physical aspect of having to move furniture, empty closets, and even… Gasp!…having to vacuum up the dust bunnies after moving said furniture? (Oh the interesting things I have found after moving a client’s washer and dryer. Think small, realistic looking, furry gray cat toy. Very realistic, but thankfully, not real.)
Is it the overwhelming task of picking the right color and/or the paralyzing fear of it turning out to be the wrong color?
