DYI Diva’s Quick Tips

We keep our homes painted to protect them, but it also provides an opportunity to express ourselves and beautify our homes. The colors we choose for our home exterior reveal alot about or sense of design and taste. And it is one of the least expensive things to go to give your home curb appeal and protect it’s value.

Choosing the color scheme for your home can also depend on the surroundings and structure. New Mexico adobes might look strange painted in Cape Cod greys and blue, etc. Victorians may need 3, 4 or 5 colors including accents to make the most of the architecture. Most homes use 2 or 3 colors, depending on taste and architecture.
Here are some key points and tips that you need to consider while painting exterior walls:

• If you want your home to stand out, choosing sharp, intense colors will draw attention.
• If you prefer an understated elegance; light toned color may be more to your liking. They give a somber effect and make your home look larger.
• Darker hues will help larger surface areas to not look faded.
• When looking for trim or accent colors, matching contrast colors will show as color combinations with flow and harmony. Extreme contrasts do not have this effect.
• Mid tones add visual depth and warmth to your house exterior. Choose contrasting color with the main body paint.
• While deciding upon color samples use natural light for the study but not direct sunlight.
• If possible use light and pastel color to blend the architecture of house with natural surrounding. Changing sun rays and the shape of the house lends a regal texture to the exterior of the house at different time of the day.
• Deep color are known for the light absorbing power and creating illusions of the less volume than original yet provide substance to the exterior. Before using deep color test them on actual surface under different light shades.

Before you select a color and paint your bathroom, you need to consider the room size, dimensions, structures and location in the home.  Who is going to use this room?  Your bathroom deserves a paint job that suits it.  

Coordinating how you use the color with the rest of your home will create a flow, giving a sense of harmony to your home. Colors speak, so what do you want to say? 

* In your bathroom, bright colors like red and orange can be used to provide brightness and freshness to boost physical energy. With the intense colors, as you might expect, a little of a good thing goes a long way.  Plan hues or a color or plan colors that complement each other and use the intense tones as accents.

* White and blues are popular and calming, which is why they are commonly used.  They also make cleaning easy because everything shows up against them.  They are solid choices but do not necessarily inspire!

* Remember that dark colors draw the eye and light colors make the room look bigger.  You can use dark and light shades to work with the contours of your space to keep the room interesting and make the most of the space.

* There may be more maintenance with darker colors, especially in the moistness of a bathroom, as they tend to fade over time.  The moisture may also make it fade unevenly.  They hold more heat and so absorb more moisture.  In highly moist bathrooms that are not well ventilated, mildew problems can occur.   Solve most of these issues by using dark colors only as accents.

Finally, choose the right paint for the job.  Some paints are specially mixed to deal with the humidity in the bathroom.   Prep the walls well and be sure to paint a color you will enjoy!