INTERIOR PAINTING CAN MAKE A QUICK FIX

05. Nov, 2010 0 Comments

With the holidays fast approaching, so are your holiday visitors. Is your
home company-ready? If not, there’s still time to do something about it,
according to Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute.

“You can dramatically upgrade your décor in just a weekend, or even a day,
by doing some interior painting,” says Zimmer. “And this type of remodeling
is affordable even in the gift-giving season, since it typically costs a
do-it-yourselfer far less than $100 to paint a room.”

Why is it that we tend to spot deficiencies in our décor just before family
and friends are due to arrive?

“In the throes of day-to-day living, most of us become somewhat blind to the
condition of our rooms, including their color. But when it really counts,
we take a harder, more critical look. All too often, we don’t like what we
see. When that happens, we are left with a couple of options: We can
panic. . . or paint,” says Zimmer.

Nothing changes the appearance of a home interior faster, or more
effectively, than a fresh coat of interior paint, she says. And, giving a
room an entirely new appearance at holiday-time can help lift your spirits
and that of your guests.

What’s especially nice about painting just prior to a holiday is that you
can even choose colors that are appropriate for the season. . . as long as
you’ll still love them when the day is done.

Zimmer, an expert on color, offers some suggestions: “At Thanksgiving, fall
colors that mirror the time of the year are most attractive — harvest gold,
ochre, brown, beige, and rust, for example. And nothing is cozier and more
inviting at Christmas or New Year’s than a special dinner set in a beautiful
dining room decked out in a deep shade of red or green paint.”

If you’re really pressed for time, you can paint just an accent wall in a
holiday-appropriate color, says Zimmer. “Painting even one wall can make a
big difference in the appearance of a room and it can be done in just a few
hours. If you fall in love with the color, you have the option of painting
the rest of the room at a later date, and if you happen to tire of it, you
haven’t invested much effort,” she says.

Assuming that your pre-holiday painting is focused on rooms that will be
filled with people, keep in mind that paints with higher sheen levels will
be more stain-resistant and easier to clean. Both woodwork and walls in
gathering spots like the kitchen, family room, kids’ playroom, and rec room
should be done with semi-gloss paint. To make cleaning even easier, be sure
to use durable top quality 100% acrylic latex interior paint.

And keep in mind that top quality latex paint offers another nice advantage:
It has very low odor — and what little odor it may have will dissipate very
quickly. Even if you paint only a short time before your guests arrive, no
one will catch a whiff of it!

So think about giving yourself and your family an unexpected gift this
holiday season – the gift of color. The cost is very reasonable, and a
beautifully painted room will provide pleasure not just at the holidays, but
throughout the year!

For more information on color selection and interior painting, visit
www.paintquality.com.