How to Pick the Perfect Trim Paint Color

So how do you take the guesswork out of picking trim paint colors, especially when you’re navigating the process online or even on your phone? For starters, it helps that Clare has narrowed down hundreds of options to a carefully curated 56 different trim paint colors. From there, follow Gibbon’s advice, below, on selecting the right paint finish and a choosing a hue that complements the wall color. You’ll be surprised how much the right trim color can change the entire look of the room.

Pick a paint trim color that complements the walls

“You want to keep color temperature in mind when choosing a white trim paint,” says Gibbons. “A warm white is a perpetual favorite that’s versatile and inviting, but is also the best choice to pair with other warm hues like reds, oranges or warm neutrals,” she advises. And if the walls are blues or greens? Opt for a cool white trim color. And if all else fails: “A clean, neutral white will have a fresh, modern look that pairs well with pretty much any color.” Just like you would any other color, test your trim paint to make sure you love it in your space and that it looks good with your walls,” Gibbons recommends. Never underestimate the power of the paint swatch.

Consider contrast for a bold style

Deciding between a matching or contrasting paint trim color is a matter of personal style, Gibbons says. “If you have a more classic style throughout your home, a crisp white is a no-fail choice no matter what wall color it is paired with.” And if your look is more adventurous? Try a bolder combo. “For example, black trim with white walls makes a big impact and really saturated colors like our Deep Dive would look great against a softer blue like Headspace.”

Go with a semigloss finish

When it comes to picking a finish for the trim paint, Gibbons takes out the guesswork: It’s semigloss for the win.Semi-gloss is the best finish for trim not only because it’s easier to clean and more durable, but it also helps to reflect the light in a room, creating a subtle contrast that allows your trims to pop against your walls. And for the walls? It’s eggshell all the way. “Eggshell is the best finish for walls because it’s matte enough that it won’t highlight imperfections, but it has just enough sheen that it’s more durable and easy to clean.

Keep it consistent

“The trim color doesn’t have to match throughout your entire home, but you should aim to keep the color palette throughout your home feeling cohesive,” Gibbons advises. “In common areas, keep the trim consistent and play with color in individual rooms!”

Paint the trim first

Should you paint the trim or the wall first? “This is often a hot debate,” Gibbons admits, “but after working with numerous professional painters, we believe in painting the trim before painting your walls, as the professionals do. In my experience, professional painters always painted the trim first since it is more detail oriented and it’s easy to fix any imperfections when you’re painting the walls.” Start out strong painting the detailed crown moldings, and afterwards, rolling paint on the walls will be a breeze.

 

Selecting the Perfect White

If your walls wear a color, whether soft or bold, then white trim is practically guaranteed to set them off well. In rooms with dark or intensely colored walls, white lightens and brightens, accenting the strong hue and bringing visual relief. In rooms with light or pastel walls, white trim makes the color look cleaner and clearer while introducing a mere hint of contrast.

Remember that white trim does not mean stark white — most paint manufacturers offer a range of whites that go from warm to cool. Also, the lightest shade on a paint card may function as a white when juxtaposed with your wall color.

To pick the right white, start with the paint chip of your wall color and hold it up to a variety of white or pale neutral chips to see which ones you like. Warm creamy tones pair well with warm or intense colors and warm neutrals, while clear or cool whites make good partners for cool colors, both saturated and muted.

 

Going with the same color

For a contemporary room, design experts suggest using techniques that help the trim blend with the room color. This can be achieved by painting the trim the same color as the walls or a tinted version of it. It gives the room a fresh, unified look. If the walls are warm-toned, it’s usually a good idea to stick with a warm trim. Likewise, pair cool wall tones with cool trim tones. Sticking with the same undertones keeps a room from looking disjointed and the colors from looking muddy. For open floor layouts, where rooms flow into each other or are adjoined by open entryways, keeping trim style and color consistent throughout provides a sense of cohesiveness, especially if the wall color changes from room to room.

Going lighter

For classic or traditional interiors, using a white or off-white paint can really play up the trim and bring out its historical or intricate qualities. And many design experts consider white the perfect color for any trim, regardless of interior style or wall color. With dark walls, white trim lightens and brightens the room while making the wall color really “pop.” And when walls are painted light or muted colors, white trim makes the color appear crisp and clean. Pure white, which is often thought of as cool or blue white, is ideal in a room with great natural light. It pairs well with cool-toned walls, has the most reflective quality, and is ideal for southern climates and ocean views. In northern climates, or in rooms with limited natural light, pure white may look too gray. For these conditions, use creamy whites with warm (yellow) undertones.

 

Darker Trim to Add Contrast

Light and neutral colors are popular in home interiors. Maybe your home has a lot of white on white already. It is a serene and calm look, but what if you want to add drama using existing features? A darker color of trim can go a long way in adding contrast. Darker moldings also look great with lighter brighter walls, so if you prefer lighter walls, the darker trim can be an excellent choice!

Trim as an accent color

I find that the molding in the room, is a unique place to add the accent color to your room. There is not a lot of it generally speaking. It is as if you have outlined the room with a ribbon on color.  It allows you to add color to your space, without it being a big commitment.

You do not have to paint all of your moldings a darker color to accomplish this. Black doors, for instance, look spectacular with light to medium baseboards and surrounding door molding. You could paint the trim darker in one room or the entire house. Don’t be ruled by your color choices. Experiment, make changes, and enjoy developing your own style.

 

Using Existing Dark Trim

A lot of older homes have darker stained wood trim. For those who love their historic home, painting the original stained wood is cringeworthy!

Whether or not you leave your dark trim untouched depends on its current quality. If your home is full of well-made, vintage architectural details, you might want to stick with it. If you are surrounded by 1970s orange-toned wood-paneling, however, this is likely another story. There will be times when it is worth it to keep the molding surrounding the windows and doors, and replace the wall treatment so the molding stands out, as it should.

Choosing Colors for Dark Trim

Like choosing a white for your trim, choosing a slate blue or other color is not as easy as it looks. Blacks and greys have undertones just like whites and creams. Your chosen color will have an intensity to it. A softer or dustier black is much different than a deep, pitch black.

Using muted tones is a good rule of thumb to avoid overwhelming your space. If you are only painting a door or a small area of trim, you can go deeper.

Think about the other colors in the room. Match the undertones for best results.

If you need help creating a color scheme, check out our Color911 app! You will find some great deep, dark shades, and plenty of inspiration. Create your own palettes by adding your wall color to your palette, then play with creating colors that you would consider for your moldings. You will save time and money by matching your chosen colors with your walls and furnishings before committing to purchasing or applying paint.

Tips for Finding the Best Commercial Painter

Some Tips for Finding the Best Commercial Painter to make your painting projects easier. Improving the overall look of your property can bring a lot of

Tips for Finding the Best Commercial Painterbenefits like increasing your property value. When you want to paint any of your properties, such as home, office building, apartment, and many other properties, you need to consider hiring a professional painting contractor. This painting service can help you complete your painting project easily. You can find local painters who can provide an excellent paint job and these simple tips can help you find the best commercial painter quickly

Ask for referrals

This is the easiest way that you can find the best painter for your project. You can get these referrals from your friends and family.  It is also a good idea to read some testimonials or reviews from other customers. These reviews can help you select the best painter for completing your project. You can read some of these reviews from many resources, such as Angie’s List.

Check their licenses

This is another important thing that you have to consider today. When you compare some available painters, you also need to check their licenses. You have to make sure that they are licensed to work in your area. This step is very important to help you avoid any low quality painting contractors in your city. It is also useful to avoid any legal issues when you hire your favorite painters today. Licensed painters usually tend to provide high quality service for their customers.  The Better Business Bureau is also a great resource. (Not all locales require licensing.)

Consider their experience

You also need to compare some available painters, so you can check out their experience. Different painters may have with their own experience in this industry. If you want to avoid any problems in the future, you have to select experienced painters who have more than 5 years of experience. Experienced painters usually know how to solve any problems with their projects quickly and completely.

Get estimates

This is another essential tip for all property owners today. When you compare some available painting contractors, you have to compare their rates. This tip is very useful for you who only have small budget for painting your property. Some painters are ready to give their free quote for all customers. This free quote usually contains all necessary costs or fees that may occur in the painting project

 

Tips for Choosing a Commercial Painter for Your Next Melbourne Painting Project

Don’t Make Your Decision on Pricing Alone

While the cost of any task that you are having performed is always going to be important to you and your business, one important quality to look for in a commercial painting contractor is their ability to provide an honest and accurate estimation of the cost of work.  While you don’t want to overpay for any services, you also don’t want to choose a company just because they offer the lowest estimate. Keep in mind that differences in pricing are a reflection of the differences in the quality and service of work you will receive

Hire a Specialist

Since the physical appearance of your location is closely tied to people’s perception of your business, you need to make sure the company you trust with its appearance has experience working on commercial buildings.  Commercial properties are often large and built with a wide variety of building materials which can present unique challenges to painters. An experienced team of commercial painting contractors will know how to handle all of these challenges effectively

Excellent Customer Service

In most cases, painting of your commercial property occurs during business hours.  By choosing a commercial painting contractor that is committed to excellent customer service, you will not only find yourself dealing with a company whom your people are comfortable interacting with, but also one which will be able to interact professionally should they come into contact with any of your customers

 

COMMERCIAL INTERIOR PAINTING TIPS FROM THE PROS

Painting your business all by yourself is a tough job and the work done can never be compared to getting it painted by a professional. They have years of experience and know various tips and tricks to do the job better

For the layman, it is all about buying a roller, paint brush and paint can to get the job done. But these professionals follow a different path that gives better results. The reason why we are not able to paint our walls with a smooth finish is because we miss all the important steps. A painter spends around three days on painting a room.

Cover the Floor Edges with a Tape

Use blue painter’s tape and cover the floor edges with it while smoothing it with a putty knife. This will secure the tape closely to the edge and the paint will not bleed underneath the tape. Avoid using masking tape as it leaves a sticky residue behind, which is hard to scrape.

Lay Drop Cloths

A canvas sheet makes the best drop cloth as it easily absorbs the paint and does not let it bleed to the ground. Avoid using plastic sheets as paint can easily slip off of it.

Tape Fixtures

Cover the bulbs with plastic bags and tape them. As for any old water stains, spray the areas with a stain killer.

 

Tips Of Choosing Your Commercial Painting Contractor

Commercial painting involves a lot of work and expertise. Therefore, whenever you are thinking of giving a building a facelift, it is essential that you think through about the contractor that will do the painting for you. This is specifically very important because it determines the quality of work that you will get. With all the commercial contractors in town, you are spoilt for choice on whom you can choose and therefore, you can never have any excuse as to why your building looks horrible. Below are some tips to follow when choosing your commercial painting contractor.

Ask around

Whenever it is your first time painting the exterior or interior of your house or business, finding your commercial painting contractor can seem like a huge dark cloud over you. However, nothing could be further from the truth, all you need to first do is ask people around you on the best contractor that they know of. You can ask your friends, colleagues at work, or family members among others and you will surprised about what knowledge people hold. After doing this, you will get a list of the number of good commercial painting contractors in town, which then gives you the license to start finding your ideal commercial painting contractor

Do research

After you have been given a list of the reputable commercial painting contractors around town, you cannot give them the job all of them. You will need to narrow down on the best contractor who is best suited to paint your building. You can only achieve this by carrying out thorough research on the list if the painter near me contractors that you have on your list. This will enable you find out more about the kin d of people that you will be dealing with. Therefore, ask whether they have licenses, whether they are insured, check their status in the business bureaus and ask the number of years that they have been in the business

Get their estimates

After you have gotten adequate information about the kind of companies that they are, you can narrow down on your best three commercial painting contractors. These are the best contractors that you have sampled that matches your qualification. After doing this, then ask them to provide you with the estimates of the costs that they will charge to paint your house or business. Pay keen attention to the costs that they give, any low cost or very high costs should raise your red flag. Compare the prices that they charge and do an average of the costs. You can thereafter choose the contractor that charges reasonably affordable without curtailing the quality of the work that they do

 

How to Choose a Commercial Painting Contractor

Your business or commercial property is extremely important to you, and one of the biggest concerns that you have is keeping it in the best condition possible at all times. If you’re having any part of your property painted, you need to hire a commercial painting contractor who you know you can trust for quality work. Every painting company has a different set of skills, experience, and techniques, so it’s important that you select a contractor who will be able to provide you with all of the specific services that you need. Finding a commercial painting contractor in Fort Lauderdale can be difficult, and it’s also extremely important

Start By Selecting Core Candidates

The first place that most people look for any kind of information is the internet, and any commercial painter’s website should be as helpful to you as it is to their company. You should be able to easily find qualified commercial painters in For Lauderdale online. However, you should also check in local directories, and you should get recommendations from people who have used painters in the past. Select a a few contractors and your core candidates, then call them to ask an estimate and an interview

Don’t Base Your Decision On Pricing Alone

As a business or commercial property owner in Fort Lauderdale, the cost of any work that you’re having performed is very important to you. One of the most important qualities of a commercial painting contractor is their ability to provide you with an honest and accurate estimate of the cost of the work. And while you do want to make sure that you’re overpaying for any services, you also don’t want to simply choose the company that offers the lowest estimate. Remember: differences in pricing are often a reflection of the differences in service and quality of work that you’ll receive

Choose the Right Specialists

When you begin to interview commercial painting contractors in Fort Lauderdale, make sure that they have the proper skill set for the jobs that you need to have performed. You should also make sure that the painting company has all the skills and specializations that you’ll need for this job. Otherwise, you may end up needing to hire multiple different companies

Why Should You Do Exterior Residential Painting?

Top 3 reasons to invest in house painting

You’ve finally decided to change something about your home and want to start by reviving the exterior facade with a new color. A proper house painting project will change the look of your home for better and leave a great impression on anyone that comes by. Most people have their houses re-painted simply because the old paint gets damaged by the weather with every passing year, resulting in moisture. This moisture can be disastrous for the exterior paint and cause it to crack. But, that’s only one of the reasons why you should schedule professional house painting sooner rather than later.

Increase your home’s value

It might seem unrealistic, but a nice paint job can increase the value of your home significantly. Pick the right colors that will make your house more noticeable and complement your garden seamlessly. Decide which color scheme you are going to use and stick to it. For example, if you start with a light main color, paint the whole exterior using only light colors. Don’t forget that the colors should match the environment and go well with other materials, including the roof, bricks and stones.

Improve the ambiance

Old wall colors can be disappointing and make you feel depressed. This should serve as a clear signal that you ought to do some painting and improve the ambiance around your house. It is only natural to have tacky wall colors if you are a smoker or you can’t imagine your life without pets. A new paint job can have a very refreshing effect on everyone living in your home. Also, it is excellent for promoting hygiene and overall satisfaction. Pick colors that will cause feelings of affection and warmth in your house, like green, yellow and orange.

Affordable investment with great benefits

Decorating the exterior of your home can be expensive if you pick the first house painting company you come across. Therefore, you should spend some time searching for an affordable painting service that is dedicated to offering quality paint jobs at all times. Many experienced companies are willing to provide you with the labor, materials and tools you need at an affordable price.

 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU PAINT?

Unfortunately, there is no set timeline for all, since every home is different. There are some rough guidelines you can follow, but there are several factors that can change the timing pretty drastically. Most experts say that you’ll need to paint every five to ten years, depending on factors such as where you live, climate and weather, and the previous paint job.

Also, keep in mind that every surface will be a little different. For example:

• Wood siding – every 3-7 years, or every 4 years if it’s stained
• Aluminum siding – usually about 5 years
• Stucco – typically lasts 5-6 years
• New types of materials – these usually need to be touched up less often; for example, cement fiberboard siding can go 10-15 years before repainting
• Brick – if it’s not painted, it only needs occasional cleaning; if it’s painted, it can last 15-20 years

 

Painting The House: Should You Hire a Professional?

The paint might peel, the color fades, or maybe it’s time to refresh the exterior appearance of your home. Is this a project you can do without a pro?

If you are used to doing renovations yourself, painting the exterior of your home may be a natural money-saving project. But before you start positioning the ladder, here are questions that you should review

Have you painted before?

Knowledge of painting techniques is important. People tend to overbrush, extending paint too far and not putting on a thick enough coat. Sprayers can put on a lot of paint in a hurry but require skill to use. If a house incorporates several colors, that design feature requires more skill in “cutting in,” where the colors butt up against each other.

Do you know your paint needs?

Estimating paint needs will be more difficult for a DIYer. Homeowners can use Valspar’s online paint calculator. Experts also suggest talking with knowledgeable paint retailers. They can provide advice for many painting problems or direct you to experienced pros.

Can you physically handle the job?

Being able to physically handle the job is a consideration. The mind may be willing, but painting an entire house requires a certain amount of fitness. It’s physical work and takes arm and upper body strength. Climbing up and down ladders for prep and painting also figures in.

 

5 Reasons You Should Invest In Professional Painting Services

When it comes to painting the exterior or interior of your home, it is recommended that you hire a professional painting company as opposed to attempting the task yourself. There are numerous benefits you can reap from hiring professional painters. It isn’t easy to paint a home on yourself, as it is a demanding and stressful job. In addition, you are prone to making mistakes that may leave the interior or exterior looking unattractive.

Below are just seven reasons you should seriously consider investing in professional painting services.

Structural Stability

A professional painter will be able to detect rot or decay within your housing structure. Even the smallest weaknesses within the structure of your home can significant affect your home over the long run. A professional can advise you on how to fix these structural defects prior to the painting process beginning.

If water or moisture enters the walls through structural weaknesses, it can result in rot or mold growth. Quality painting can help protect the structure of your home against water and moisture. A professional painter will be able to recommend a reliable construction crew to repair the structural issues that may fall outside of their expertise.

Familiarity With New, On-Trend Colors And Patterns

Deciding to paint your home gives you the chance to bring new colors or patterns into your home. By investing in professional painting services, you have the opportunity to work with someone who is familiar with how well certain colors or patterns will work in your home and with each other. A professional is capable of offering solid recommendations and advice on suitable color schemes. Also, professionals utilize back rolling or back priming in effective ways, in addition to high-quality paints that will allow the home to withstand various weather conditions and UV rays.

Perform Surface Preparations

It’s important that you, as a homeowner, understand that thorough preparations are necessary for a painting project to be successful. These preparations include carpentry work, rot repairs, sanding, patching, and more. This process ensures that the painting lasts longer and looks higher quality once complete.

Timely Completion

A painting company has a team of painters who work together to ensure that your project is completed within a predetermined timeframe. In the end, you will have more time on your hands to focus on designs, decorations, and other things. If you were to do the paint job yourself, you may be painting for weeks or months. However, with professionals, if you let them know when you want the job completed, they can generally have it done within that timeframe. Delays can happen, but they are generally due to the need for major repairs like rot or decay. Regardless, most professionals can work within a set timeline, allowing you to return your normal routine.

Cleanliness And Longevity

A thorough paint project consists of implementing a number of containment strategies. A professional will make certain that there are no messy flakes, chips, or debris. An adequate paint job can hold up for years, but the type of longevity requires a solid paint job from the get-go as well as essential steps to be taken to ensure the desired results are achieved—and only a professional painting service has the ability and resources to ensure that your dream can truly be realized.

 

Things You Must Know When Painting a House Exterior

Consider Mother Nature

Plan ahead when painting. The time of year is key, so understand your local weather patterns. Select a dry time of year when there is little rain and lower humidity. Paint needs time to dry and will not adhere to surfaces that are not dry.

Quality Over Price

Better quality paint means you will paint fewer times over the years, and you’ll get better coverage when you do paint. Paint technology has improved dramatically in the past few years, with colors guaranteed to last longer than ever before. You may be tempted to skimp on paint to save money up front with a cheaper brand, but you’re bound to have trouble and eventually pay more in the long run.

Paint Doesn’t Stick to Rotten Siding

Rotten wood and siding material are nearly worthless to paint, as they will do nothing but to continue to deteriorate. You have a couple of options. Replace the siding or wood trim with new components, or in the case of small areas, use a wood hardener and match with an exterior filler product, such as a wood filler. Be sure to prep and sand either one prior to painting.

Use Primer

The rule of thumb has always been to apply a good coat of primer, sand, then apply your color coats. This is still a good rule to follow, but new paint technologies have combined primer and paint into one product, which manufacturers assert will cut down on the number of coats you will have to apply. This newer paint is more expensive, but may be comparable to the purchase of separate primer and paint. Look at reviews of these newer paints, particular from folks that have used it in your area.

Seal It Off

Properly close your paint containers with their lids after you finish for the day to keep the paint from drying out. Use a rubber mallet to lightly hammer the lid shut. You can also add a plastic wrap film over the opening to ensure a tight seal.

Things to Consider When Interior Painting

If you are thinking about interior painting techniques, you are in the right place at the right time. We will give you tips and tricks on an interior painting that you will love, color tips on the interior painting will make you feel awesome right away too.

If you are a beginner, you might want to know how to paint a room. Well, we will talk about seven tips that will take your interior painting to a new level, and that is also awesome for you down the line these days too. Here are seven things you need to know about interior painting:

Avoid Lap Marks

To avoid any lap mark, you need to roll the wall`s full height. Then, you have to keep an essential wet edge. That will give you the results you seek, but you have to do more.

Consistency

Do you want consistency in your room? If so, you have to mix some cans of paint. Do this in a large bucket. It will make your room look pretty, and you will love what you will see too.

Paint The Trim First

You have to paint the trim before you paint the walls and ceiling. This is the order that you have to follow when you decorate a room, and that will give you the results you seek too down the road.

No Texture Or Flashing Differences

You have to use a coat of primer to get rid of texture and flashing differences. Yes, that is all it takes. The light will not be a problem for the walls anymore too.

Strong Bond

You have to clean any dirty surface so that the paint may form the strong bond that you have been waiting. This strong bond will allow you to have peace of mind over time because you have done the job correctly over time.

Clearing The Room

You have to clear the room of any small item out there so you can do the job properly at all times. Stack any little thing on a big thing so you can genuinely do the job over time.

Masking Tape

You have to apply what is called masking tape only to any select tight corner out there. Therefore, not all areas are eligible for this stuff. Use what is called medium sandpaper to sand lightly any wall that feels gritty.

 

Things You Should Know Before Painting A Room

Paint colors can dramatically change the mood and interior design of your home. Paint can make a statement with splashes of  bold color, or it can be a soft backdrop to a more muted interior. Either way, painting is one of the easiest and least expensive tools in the interior design world. However, there are a few things you should know before you paint—things that will make your job much easier :

• Prepping a Room Does Make a Difference
• Test the Paint Color
• Painting a Room – Allow Color Into Your Life
• Pay Attention to the Finish You Choose
• Paint Can Be Changed
• Brush Before Rolling
• Prep Your Roller and Paint Brushes

 

Here is a list of common errors that painters make during a paint job.

• Blistering occurs if air bubbles are trapped under the paint coating.
• Brush marks occur if the viscosity of the color is not consistent along with the strokes.
• Without proper drying of the paint, chalking or cracking may cause on the walls.
• Cissing is caused when impurities remain on the surface.
• If the proper putty is not applied then dampening can cause microbial growth on the walls.
• Patchiness and runs are common if the application of the paint is not done uniformly over the walls and the paint is mixed very viciously.

 

 

THERE ARE A FEW IMPORTANT THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND BEFORE YOU PAINT.

Keeping these things in mind will help make your job easier.

Experiment with Colors:

According to scientists, the colors in our rooms affect our mood and activities. Light and bright colors help us to feel calm and stay at ease. At the same time, vibrant colors in your room can have a variation of your feelings; like excited and happy. It is always good to experiment with colors when taking on a painting project.  Test a sample of your color selections on small areas first before making major decisions.

Maintain a Balance When Painting The Room:

It is really difficult to determine how a particular color will look on your walls and with your lighting. So, if you have a particular color in mind, go and grab a sample. Once you are done experimenting with different colors and the impact to the walls, you can continue applying the color of your choosing.

Pay Attention to The Other Details Of Your Room:

Surprisingly, not only does the color matter, but the other details of your home like the amount of lighting it receives, the amount of traffic, and the furniture all play a roll. The color you choose should compliment the other details of your home.

 

Step to Paint a Room :

1. Plan Your Approach
2. Repair Damaged Surfaces
3. Prep the Room
4. Prep the Materials
5. Using a Brush
6. Using a Paint Roller
7. Paint the Trim
8. Clean Up

Paint rollers are inexpensive and disposable, but brushes are costly and worth saving, and they can be used many times if given proper care and cleaning. To make brush cleaning easier, drill a 1/4-inch hole just above the metal ferrule, then insert a wire or large nail into the hole. Suspend the brush over a jar or other container filled with enough water or paint solvent to cover the bristles. Let it soak for a while, then rinse and dry the bristles with a clean rag. Wrap the brush in plastic wrap or place the brush in its original package to keep the bristles straight.