Two steps to take before having a room repainted
Posted on: 20 March 2017
Repainting the walls of a dull, bland-looking room is a quick and effective way to inject some character and style into it. If you've arranged for a tradesperson who offers repainting services to add a fresh coat of colour to the walls of your home, here are two things you'll need to do before they arrive.
Choose the right colour palette
It's important to think carefully about your choice of colour palette. Seek inspiration online and from interior design magazines, and test out several samples of different colours before buying full-size pots of paint.
When shopping for paint, consider the ambience you want to create in the room; for instance, if it's a dining room, in which you often host dinner parties and evening soirees, then it might be wise to choose a colour palette with warm, vivid hues that are in keeping with the type of lively, inviting atmosphere you wish the room to have. Vibrant shades of amber, burgundy or yellow might be appropriate choices for this kind of space. If the idea of painting the entire room a bold colour is a bit daunting, you could use a pale, neutral shade on three walls and add a brighter accent shade to the forth.
Conversely, if you're repainting one of the bedrooms in your home, then you may want to opt for cooler, calmer tones which will allow for a restful night's sleep. Pale lavender, gray or mint would all help to create a peaceful space which is soothing to the eyes.
Prep the room
To ensure the painting process goes as smoothly as possible, you will need to do a bit of preparatory work. Start off by removing any fragile or valuable items from the area; things like artwork, antique furniture and technology should be stored somewhere else in your home whilst the room is being repainted.
This is important, as a splash of paint or a dropped roller brush could easily end up damaging these type of items beyond repair. Moreover, bulky furniture is likely to be a nuisance to your painters, as it which will make it harder for them to move their ladders and painting tools around the space.
When you have finished emptying the room of its contents, lay thick plastic sheeting on the floor to protect it from paint splatters.
The walls of the paint should also be thoroughly washed before they are repainted. Finger marks, nicotine stains, grime and dust will all affect the finish of the new paintwork; paint applied to a dirty wall could end up looking textured and streaky when it dries.
The most effective way to remove most forms of dirt from the walls is by using a few sponges and some sugar soap. Apply the sugar soap solution to the walls and use the sponge to work it into the surface. Then, after about five minutes or so, rinse it off with another clean sponge and some water. It's best to do this a couple of days before the painters are due to arrive so that the walls are completely dry when they start painting.
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