The number one reason as to why people paint and decorate their homes is to freshen up the look of their house. A new paint style gives new life to a drab room. To ensure a smooth finish, preparation is key. People like to take short cuts to avoid wasting time and money, but doing this can make your finished product look terrible. So in the rest of this article I’ll be giving a few tips on how you can ensure the best results each and every time!

The first thing you need to do is to scrape away all the old chipped paint. Scrape as much of the old paint off as you can. Sand the rough areas with a bit of sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block. Aim to flatten the sides as much as possible so the new layer is as smooth as can be.

Your colour scheme should be selected very carefully, specific colours can work very well whether or not they are complimentary, such as various pastel shades, or extremely contrasting, as in the case of dark greys and bright greens. When selecting furniture and decorations to compliment the painting work, always remember the golden ratio – redecorating work always seems to look better when the prominent colour is used in about sixty per cent of the room, with thirty to forty per cent of the secondary colour and up to ten per cent of an accent colour. Soft furnishings, such as pillows, rugs and throws, or lighting make perfect accent pieces.

Natural lighting can make a massive difference to the feeling of space in a room, big windows and skylights give any room a bright and airy feel – to get the best results, ensure you use light colours, or be brave and go for that lively paint you’ve always wanted!

Many homes in Dublin suffer from poor natural lighting, so good interior lights are a necessity. For the best effect it is recommended that you attempt to create a sphere of light in the middle of the room.
Read the rest of this entry »