You don't have to be a professional interior designer to give your living room a fresh, new look. Adding a fresh coat of paint in a different color or in a creative way is an effective and inexpensive way to give your living room the face-lift that it may need. Some of the most popular techniques include stenciling, sponge painting and rag rolling.
Choosing the Right Color
When choosing the right color for your living room, consider the largest pieces of furniture in the room. You should also think about the overall mood that you want the room to have, the lighting, and the size of the room. Designers at Home Decorating Made Easy recommend using neutral versions of shades that you like instead of bright colors, unless you want your walls to become the room's focal point. Choose at least three colors that you like, so when you test an area, you will know which one looks the best on the wall.
Test an Area
Once you have found at least three colors that appeal to you, purchase a small can of each and a few inexpensive brushes. Paint a square on one of the walls with each color; the square can be as large or small as you prefer, but keep in mind it should be large enough to gauge how the entire wall will look. Let the colors dry and take at least a day or two to view them during day and evening hours. This way you will get an idea of how the colors will look in different types of lighting. If you are going to be using more than one color on your walls, this step is very important because it allows you to make sure that the colors complement each other nicely; you can also try out different color combinations before making the final decision.
Creative Techniques
Stenciling has become one of the most popular and easy painting techniques. A stencil is a plastic sheet with a design cut out of it. To transfer the design onto a wall you simply place the sheet on the wall and paint over the cutout. Although they can be placed anywhere on the wall, stencils work best on borders. You can create your own stencils with plastic sheets, or purchase premade stencils at craft stores.
Sponge Painting has also become a popular and easy painting technique. The only tools that you need are sea sponges and paint trays. Using a damp sponge to soak up the paint, you can apply it to the wall to create the look of stone.
Rag rolling is also an inexpensive and creative way to add color to your living room walls. After you have painted a wall with a roller, and while the paint is still wet, take a rag that has been rolled up, and roll it over the wet wall. This creates an attractive tissue-paper effect on the walls.
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