Paint can be a valuable tool for restoring a room. This attic loft we remodeled last summer had nicotine stained walls.
Here’s what a fresh coat of paint can do…
Loft After
Paint, however, can be quite fickle. Many people have found the perfect paint swatch only to discover, once it was on the walls, that it was NOT the perfect color. Paint can “turn” when it is exposed to different light. It’s almost like it has a mind of its own.
The worst example of unfortunate paint choices for me was during our latest rehab. We had a very dark, upstairs hallway that we wanted to lighten and brighten. The photo below was taken with a flash, so you don’t get a feel for how dark the hall was. Trust me, it was dimly lit.
Hall Closet door before rehab
My paint consultant from Sherwin Williams and I thought a soft, cheerful yellow would work well. However, the 2”x3” paint swatch we used to choose the color was NOT a big enough paint sample to accurately preview the color. When we painted it on the walls, it looked like a Preschool playroom. The kind of playroom where the kids scream all day long.
I rushed to the Sherwin Williams nearest the property. I grabbed a bunch of paint chips, went back to the house, and narrowed down my choices. Then I went back to the paint store and bought a quart of the color I thought might work. I painted a wide swath of color on the wall to make sure I really liked the paint. Here is the result…
Hall without closet door.
I have been working with Heather, my Sherwin Williams consultant, for years and have never needed to repaint a room. Normally, I love our paint choices. Wrangling the colors in this hall, however, taught me a good lesson. I need to preview a large sample of paint on the walls of a room before I make a final color decision. One quart of paint is waaaaaaay less expensive that having painters re-paint a property.
Linked to:
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Before/After Party at Thrifty Decor Chic
Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking
Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest
