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Archive for July, 2011

The painting of any house is essential as it determines how beautiful a house looks and feels. It is true to say that the painting in or on any house sets the mood and everybody is looking for that charm and inviting mood from all angles of the house hence the importance of taking precaution when it comes to painting. There are a few tips that can be followed to get the best from the painting of your Austin home.

Choose lighter shades: light colors tend to be livelier on the house and should therefore be the better option especially when dealing with small spaces. They also end up complementing other designs and dcor within the house giving you the perfect finish that you could be looking for in or outside your house. Light does not necessarily mean bright and screaming as there are various color shades in the market.

Use one color but different shades: the other important tip of fetching those amazing results from the painting work is choosing to use one color especially on the interior part of the house but mixing the different shades available for that color. This mixture will ensure a smooth visual flow leaving your area looking professional and comfortable. You will find that the different shades go well with most of the furniture, furnishings and fabrics within your home.

Choose a lighter color for the ceiling: when doing interior painting, it has always been advisable to go for a much lighter color shade when doing the ceiling. This gives that glossy look and also keeps the room lively especially when the lights are on. The painting on the ceiling should be left plain as compared to having different patterns. If the patterns are necessarily, then they should be minimized.

Since not many people are that conversant with colors and the best painting techniques yet have the need to have amazing results, professional painting contractors in Austin should be in a position to help with the selections. A good contractor should be in a position to get you that look you have in mind by choosing the right quality paints and using as well as mixing the colors dedicated to fetching the results you are looking for.

When faced with a austin painting project, always take the time to find the right contractor for the job based on the reputation, experience and knowledge. This is probably the best justice you can do to your exterior and interior sections.

If you are thinking about painting your interior walls, get ready for a big project! It’s not as easy as one might think and it always takes longer than planned! Here are a few tips to save you a headache and some of your valuable time.

1.) Set Aside a Separate Time for Preparation.
When you are planning your interior painting project, make sure to set aside a separate time for preparation. By doing this, it will help you stay focused on your project. The last thing you want to do is rush a painting project. Another reason you want to prepare for your painting project at an earlier time is it will allow your patchwork time to dry. You cannot paint a wall that has recently applied putty. I like to go with a 24 hour rule of thumb on this one. At the bare minimum, make sure you let it dry 8-12 hours.

2.) Remove as Much Furniture as Possible.
If you are going to be painting a room, you do not want to worry about dripping or spraying paint on your furniture. It is much easier to lay your equipment where you want and have a free reign of the room. If it’s possible, remove all of the furniture and lay down drop clothes on the floor. Removing furniture might take a little of your time but will be sure to speed up the process of interior painting. PLUS it will ensure you will not ruin it as well! (If you cannot remove your furniture from the room you are painting, push it all together in the middle.

3.) Removal All Fixtures/Hardware.
I know, it may seem easier to just paint around your light fixtures, door knobs and other w but in the end you are bound to drip or smudge some paint at sometime. Also, it is much quicker to paint a complete wall that you do not have to paint around objects. Even if you think you are an excellent painter, removing wall fixtures and hangers will save you time in the long run.

4.) Don’t Paint over a Problem
Please do not be the home owner that puts a fresh coat of paint over a crack or holes in the wall. It’s not worth all of the time, energy and money to paint a wall without at first fixing the blemishes. If you are tackling your own paint job chances are you have the ability and skills needed to spackle small holes and cracks. The important thing when spackling, be heavy with putty and sand everything very well.

Faux finishes often require a little bit of skill and some pre-application learning and practice in order to achieve the desired finish. Paint manufacturers have addressed the faux painted finish market by developing some finishes that require very little of the usual faux finish skills. These finishes don’t require any “glaze” and the tools are often just the usual roller and brush. This approach has opened up the world of faux painting to the average homeowner who doesn’t have the time to attend a workshop on faux finishing in order to decorate their living room walls. One of these “faux finishes in a can” is the “Suede” paint finish.

Suede paint is basically a mottled flat paint. Almost all of these paints require a base coat and a final coat which gives the desired “look” to the finish.

Base coating

The base coat is a coat of the suede paint rolled on the normal brush and roll manner. Cut in the ceiling with a brush and roll out the walls as you would any other paint. This coat of suede does not have to look perfect or have perfect hiding as you will be going over the top of this with the final coat.

Finish coating

The finish coat is what makes the suede paint look like “suede” leather. This finish coat is applied with a brush. I use a 3″ wall brush and find that I can execute the work fairly quickly with that.

The actual technique is simply a cross hatching brush technique, which basically is applying the paint to the wall in random semi-circular X’s . Each “x” should be curvy and random.

Tape off the base board and ceiling with easy release (blue) tape, and tape off the adjacent walls too with the same.

Work in small (uneven “broken edged” for better blending) sections of 4′ x 4′ and progress down the wall in that manner, joining the sections together as you go.

Inside corners require a semi-circular brush stroke that pulls away from the corner in a curvy manner. Change the directions of the curves and keep them random.

Lapping and touching up: You will see that the suede paints as a rule do not touch up very well so do it right as you go and do not back track onto a previously painted wall to correct areas that don’t meet your approval – try to get it right as you do it the first time. If you absolutely have to correct something on a already dried suede painted wall you will need to start at a breaking point and kind of “fade” it in with a uneven ending “patch” of suede paint. This is not easy to do, but it is do-able.

The next time you find yourself staring at a blank canvas, don’t get discouraged. Sometimes our minds need a little break from painting. I would like to share how I find inspiration for those unproductive moments.

Take a walk or drive to the country – Step outside and take a long walk. Get your blood circulating and energize your mind. Exercise and fresh air can do wonders when you are feeling down. I also like to hop in the car and take a drive out to the countryside. I always bring a sketchpad or notebook along with me. I find so much beauty and inspiration from nature.

Visit a museum or gallery – Just looking at other artwork is enough to get your creative juices flowing. I will map out a few local galleries and head out with a friend to see what beautiful art I can discover. If they allow you take photographs, take a few shots of any works that catch your eye and bring them back to your studio for inspiration.

Go to a bookstore – Visit your local bookstore, grab a cup of coffee, and browse through the art section. See what new information sparks your interest. I pick up anything from magazines to art history books.

Listen to some music – Grab a few of your favorite CD’s, a blank canvas, some of your favorite colors, and do some spontaneous painting. Don’t think but instead let the rhythm of the music lead your brush. You will be pleasantly surprised at what comes out.

Don’t be afraid to try different things – Oil paint is an incredibly versatile medium. Experiment with different oil painting techniques. Oil paint can be thinned to a watery consistency or brushed on with thick luscious strokes. Don’t limit yourself to only one style. Don’t worry about being wrong or following any rules. This is the perfect time to make mistakes as you are only experimenting and having fun.

When all else fails, say a prayer! Ask God, the one who blessed you with your creative gift, to lead your brush. He is the ultimate source of creativity. I bet he has some good ideas up his sleeve.

When it comes to finding interior painters, Christchurch is one of the top locations. One can be quickly deterred at the daunting thought of where to begin with a home makeover but by implementing a handful of tips it becomes a viable possibility. Some elbow grease and a few free days are required in order to finish interior painting.

Each room in a house will require different preparation, paints, and designs. Bathrooms and kitchens are subject to more moisture exposure than other rooms. If one has children, their bedrooms are often full of holes in the walls, marks, and thumbtacks. Walls and ceilings are often different heights, some being vaulted. There are different paints and techniques used for base-boards, doors, door frames, and trims. Other questions to consider include what colours should be used and which colour combination would look right.

Choosing a favourite object such as a floor rug, art piece, or piece of furniture can function as the starting point for selecting a colour palate. If the selected favourite object is one solid color, its best to select colors which are on the same wheel or complementary. Colours which are associated with a particular style which will be implemented can also offer a distinctive colour selection. If the favourite item is blue, for instance, picking other shades of blue would be considered analogous colours, while selecting yellows would be complementary colors. Using nature as the inspiration for styles, an ocean theme, for example, could incorporate browns and yellows with the blues.

Once the colour scheme is selected, it can be brought together with accents such a couch throw or curtains. Christchurch has professionals with interior colour tips and latest trend ideas. Once the colour and colour combinations are selected, the next step is deciding on a brand. With the colour and brand selected, one must decide which of the many painting techniques should be used and which effects should be combined. Christchurch offers an extensive professional mix whose personnel can offer advice on colours which suit both the intended dcor and function for the room. They are able to incorporate paint schemes that match with appliances and electrical features. Most professionals will say, lighter colours enhance children’s rooms while darker colours will make for a cozy entertainment room. Estimating the amount of paint required comes after selecting which walls are to be painted. The painting process will require that all furniture be brought into the middle of the room and all surfaces, furniture, and fixtures are covered to protect them from paint splattering. Before painting walls, fill any holes, sand them down and remove any bumps and spiders webs. Professional painters can finish a paint job with the proper skills, equipment, and inconvenience one’s family and pets as little as possible. However, one can paint the walls without the help of a professional and perhaps enjoy spending some time with your family if they are able to help out.