Giving the walls a fresh coat of paint can enliven an entire room.
Choosing to paint your indoor walls can mean an interior design transformation that is much cheaper than renovation but can still have as much impact as removing a wall or installing a window. Walls that are being repainted after a period of time should be prepared by cleaning them and patching holes or cracks. Worst-case scenarios where layers of paint obscure wood-grain details may require stripping before applying a brand-new coat.
Proper Tools for Finish
The type of finish you desire on your walls will determine the tools you use to apply the paint. If you are looking to give your walls a smooth look, then you should use a brush, foam roller or paint pad, according to "Decorate." To lend your walls a more textured appearance, you should apply the paint with brush or shaggy pile roller. The latter tools also apply to painting walls with a rough surface.
Manipulating Room Perspective
You can manipulate the perspective of a room through the use of color chosen to paint your walls. If you are painting the walls in a long, narrow room you should paint the short end walls a brighter color than the long side walls to create the illusion of width. The illusion of a lower ceiling can be accomplished by painting the walls a lighter color than the ceiling.
Patterned Stripes
Easily create stripes of unique patterns by cutting shapes into a foam paint roller before you dip it into the paint tray. The authors of "Decorating Hints and Tips" advise varying your stripes when painting a wall by cutting out shapes. The holes cut into the paint roller do not pick up any paint, creating an easily maintained effect all the way down the wall.
Backdrops and Focal Points
In some rooms the walls may serve merely as a backdrop that should not draw attention away from the d cor. You should first decorate the room completely before deciding which color scheme you want for painting a backdrop wall. A room in which the walls will become one of the focal points should begin with the decision of which colors the walls will be painted, and the thematic d cor of furnishings and accessories should be constructed around the colors of the walls, according to "Stanley Complete Painting."
Cloudy Skies
The effect of painting white, fluffy clouds on a vivid blue background to lend the sensation of your walls being part of the sky can be achieved by using a rolled-up rag dipped into a mixture of white paint and latex glaze. The addition of the glaze to the white cloud paint affords the gauzy element that makes the clouds stand out against the blue sky background.
Related posts
Red paint brings boldness and a vibrant atmosphere to any room and makes for a dramatic statement. Red paint color is perfect for powder rooms because they are small, and the color will not overwh...
A vividly painted wall adds sophistication to a room.Accent walls are a classic way to dramatically spice up any room's appearance. Typically, an accent wall is one that is painted a different col...
You may not be an interior decorator, but you can add snap to your decor by painting stripes on your walls. Painting stripes on a wall can change a plain room into one that has interest and style....
Painting is an easy and affordable way to dramatically change the look of a room. If you are looking for a change from white, cream or beige walls, consider going for dramatic, dark and deep color...
Dark paneling can make a room seem uninviting, dark and depressing. To brighten up your rooms and give them new life, you will want to paint over your dark paneling. Painting over dark paneling is...
