Thoughts on Paint

April 16, 2021

Reading Time: 6 minutes

At the end of 2020, publications and paint companies started predicting their picks for hot new interior paint colors in 2021. Now that the first quarter of 2021 is over, and we are starting to emerge from our excessive stay-at-home-during-the-pandemic practices, many of us are starting to feel the need to freshen up our living spaces to make them feel new again. By spending so much time in our homes we are starting to see flaws that we want fixed, or, we are simply tired of the same-old-same-old staring back at us everytime we walk into a room.

According to professional painters, on average different parts of your home will need to be painted every 5-7 years. Some areas, more frequently (2-3 years between paint jobs). Other areas, less frequently (up to 10 years between jobs). It really depends on the usage of your home, quality of paint and paint job, and personal preference.

Picking the right color is an important step in the painting journey. Where do you start?

Before you paint or even start selecting colors, it is important to ask yourself several questions to clarify your objectives in painting and the investment you want to make in time and money:

How soon do I want to re-paint? This question reveals how trendy you want to go. If you pick the hot new color of the year, how much staying power will it have? Will you need to repaint in two years because it is grossly out of style? Do you want to repaint in two years? Or, do you want to pick a more classic palette with staying power that can be freshened up with other accents around the room rather than a whole new coat of paint?
How does this room affect the rooms around it? If you have an open floor plan, it is hard to paint just one area. For example, you can’t paint the kitchen a drastic new color without adjusting the paint in the living and dining area it opens to.
What kind of room is it? What are its dimensions and how is it lit? What is the room used for and who uses it?
How do you want the room to feel? Research has proven that colors affect mood.
When do you see yourself moving to a different home? This is key. Some non-neutral colors can be exceedingly specific to a person and what appeals to one person might repel another. If you aren’t planning on moving anytime soon, so crazy with whatever color you want. However, if you might be moving within the next few years, you might consider toning down your color options so they are more neutral and universally acceptable so that when it comes to marketing your home it has wider appeal. If you go with more distinct colors, just be prepared that you might need to repaint when it comes time to list your home.

Each paint company has designated their own “colors of the year” or “palettes of the year,” but if we sift through all of the color data, we find several trends emerging that can inform our decision making in finding colors that work for your home to make it feel fresh and updated. Trends you are likely to notice include:

Soothing blues and aquas
Back to nature hues including earth tones, rich browns and a gamut of greens–from sea foam, to leafy green and beyond
Jewel tones including Aubergine (eggplant purple) and other deep plums plus the richer greens from the nature hues
Saffron and yellows reminiscent of spice and flowers, and evoking happiness and positive energy
Timeless neutrals and whites. This includes some new gray tones and some freshened up whites

Will you do it yourself? Or, Will you hire a pro?

Whatever colors you land on, the other decision you will have to make is whether you will make your painting project a DIY endeavor OR if you will leave it to the professionals. Obviously there are pros and cons to each. If you go the DIY route, make sure you follow a few simple protocols:

Gather all of your supplies before you open the first can of paint
Allow for plenty of time to prep the room
Clean sections of the walls that appear especially grungy before painting
Make repairs in drywall and then apply primer over the compound and let dry before painting
Paint the trim before you paint the walls
Review proper roller technique

Keep the area well lit and well ventilated. The light will ensure that you properly and evenly coat the walls. The ventilation will help with mitigating the fumes and expedite drying time between coats.

If you hire a professional, we recommend getting more than one quote, and keep in mind that the lowest quote isn’t necessarily the best choice. For peace of mind, select a painter who has been referred to you by a friend or another trusted professional (like your favorite F.C. Tucker Emge REALTOR®). Don’t be afraid to ask questions of prospective painters:

Do you carry liability insurance?
What kind of paint do you use?
How long will this job take?
Who will be doing the painting?
What kind of prep work do you do?
Do you guarantee your work with any sort of warranty?

Despite what they might tell you, it is always best to get the paint and color from the same company. If you see a tint that you love from one company A, but you love the product from company B, chances are you can find a similar tone at company B that you should opt to use, because if they try to match company A’s recipe, the results will be different than anticipated.