Here’s the full question that was submitted for this month’s edition of Ask the Paint Pro:
Do I need paint the walls in my home with neutral colors? Everyone tells me I should paint my walls gray, tan, or white, but I like bright, bold colors. Is it OK to do something different?”
This is a great question, and one we get from time to time when our San Diego painting company does color consultations. Not every homeowner wants neutral walls, and that’s totally fine!
Of course, there are several reasons to go with neutrals, such as, it gives you more decorating options and it’s better for your home’s resale, but not everyone cares about these things. Maybe you’re someone who wants to make a statement in your home, or you want to create a certain energy in a specific room. One way you can definitely do this is through bold paint colors on your walls.
That being said, here are a few tips if you decide that you want to liven up your San Diego home with some bold paint choices.
Plan on Several Coats of Paint
When you paint more saturated colors on a wall, you almost always need to do multiple coats to get the color to go on evenly. The same goes for when (if) the time comes to paint over those bold walls. Be prepared to cover them with a good primer, and then apply another coat or two of the new color to completely cover the old color.
Buy Good Quality Paint
This tip goes with the one above. Purchase a good quality paint. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself applying more coats of paint than you had probably planned on. If you’re not sure what brands/lines of paint are good, go to your local paint store and ask some questions. The “big box” stores may not always have paint experts on staff when you need them.
Consider Hiring a Professional
If you know you want a bold color in one or more rooms in your house, but you’re not exactly sure which color exactly, consider hiring a professional color consultant. There are endless shades of every color of the rainbow out there, and some look better on walls than others. A good color consultant won’t try to talk you out of your wishes to make a bold statement. Instead, he or she will help you select the color that gives you the exact look and feel you’re going for. The last thing you want to do is paint a room the color you think you want, only to have it come out all wrong and have to paint it again.
Consider Just Doing an Accent Wall
You don’t need to paint a whole room a bold color to make a statement. A well-placed accent wall can be just as powerful. An accent wall can be a great place to highlight some special pieces of art or create a focal point in a room. Sometimes, an accent wall can make a bigger impact than painting the whole room the same bold color, as it can give a room some dimension and architectural interest.
Do you have a question for the Paint Pro that you’d like to see answered in this column? Send it here and you may see the answer in a future column.
