KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR PAINTS

Paint has been used for centuries to decorate all kinds of homes and in that time a huge variety of finishes and effects have been employed beyond the flat coverage of a simply painted surface. Many of what are now regarded as traditional paint effects have their origins in the great houses of the European aristocracy and were later adopted by the rising merchant classes who wanted to share in those splendors themselves. Paint effects are a wonderful way to express your character and that of your home and the people who live with you.

Transformation, illusion, or more frankly deception, was usually the guiding principle, whether the effect was one of rough stone, luxurious marbling or the opulence of gliding. Even the colors can give the look of a period like the color blue-grey represents the traditional Scandinavian interior , the dazzling blues , soft pinks and warm ochre that outface the Mediterranean sun and the sober tones remind of the interiors of United states. These are styles and finishes firmly rooted in the often harsh climate and economic or social realities of a particular region, perpetuated over centuries by people whom the concept of style has often, for one good reason or another, been meaningless. Choosing the color and finish for the walls are probably the most important decision you make when decorating a room. The paint should reflect the character of those who live and work there and the atmosphere they want to create. However, daring to try something new is fun and may reveal a new side of you, the possibilities are endless. Creating the right wall finish for a period interior was once time consuming and expensive. Today successful substitutes have been found for the unusual and expensive products required using the different permutations and combinations, one can easily reproduce the interiors with an authentic look. Any style of interior is now within your range - from a country kitchen to a baronial hallway. Paint techniques can also be used to disguise some surface imperfections, which is much cheaper than having your walls replastered. Thus, one should always consider the following tips while doing the paint.

A poor surface treated with the right paint technique can be transformed into a wall of character. Equally, a perfectly smooth new wall can be given instant interest and texture.

Each room must be treated individually, even though you may want a cohesive scheme throughout your home.

Remember some areas suffer extra wear and tear: certain finishes may not be practical for kitchens or bathrooms, and others need special attraction.

Always choose the color according to the space. Pale colors give a sense of space and darker ones make a room even smaller.

Remember too that the color of the base coat will greatly alter the glaze coat applied to it. The most striking color effects are often achieved by using white as the base color.

THE PAINT TECHNIQUES

Here are some of the effects of the paints that one can create apart from the flat surface, but one should be aware of the effect, one desire to create. COLORWASHING: Color washing is among the group of finishes that have their beginnings in fine are, they are often known as broken-color technique. Specifically, it involves the application of thin washes of glaze in which the brush marks are left apparent to give the finish texture and depth. It provides an interesting alternative to flat color and can be used to decorate period or modern, town or country interiors.

SPONGING: Sponging is a modern broken-color technique. Natural sponge, moistened with water or soaked in glaze and used over the opaque base coat to produce a softly mottled effect-either by removing or adding color. Usage of sea sponge creates more interesting textures that normal household sponge.

STIPLING: Traditionally stippling entails the reworking of newly applied paint to create a finely textured, matt finish. A well prepared surface is essential and a steady hand. An elegant effect which adds subtle ageing to a room, it looks good on wood paneling, furniture and frames.

DRY BRUSHING: In this technique, the brush is kept relatively dry as glaze is applied lightly over a base coat to create a cloudy effect. It can be subtle if applied in soft tones with soft strokes or bold if you use hard bristled brushes and strong colors. An easy way to give texture to modern interiors, it is also used to create an aged finish for period settings. It is ideal for highlighting architectural mouldings and because it is extremely resilient, for furniture.

MEDITERRANEAN LOOK: The word Mediterranean gives us an impact of wonderful chalky colors of sun baked, painted house. It gives a very country look kind of the atmosphere. Random brushing and hard rubbing create the characteristic roughness and depth of tone. It can be used on a variety of surface but is natural suited to uneven plaster and textured surfaces.

TEXTURING: There are many different ways to texture paints. The obvious advantage of texturing is that it is a wonderful disguise for imperfect wall. But it can bring character to any surface, or a tough finish to a garden room or exterior wall.

WOOD FINISHES: Paint finishes on wood can be as authentic and fantastic as you wish. Color is the determining factor but with today's wide choice of colors, the scope for experiment is enormous. Paint effects can also 'age' new wood quickly. This is an important period setting, where new wood is often ill at ease. Stairs, handrails, floors and frames can also be aged to add a period feel to any home.

BORDERS: Borders are nowadays becoming very common and people are having a keen interest in them. Painted borders are a neglected way of bringing additional interest to wall surfaces. Borders painted by hand are essentially individual .One can choose color and patterns one wants and can make them as simple or as complex.
Thus paint effects are a wonderful way to express your character and that of your home and the people who live with you. So go wild with you sponges, spatter, stipple and rub down to your heart's content. And when you will rest from your labours, you will find that you have created something that simply can't be found in a pot or plain emulsion paint.

PAINTING TIPS

Paint is a very inexpensive and easy way to spruce up the interior of any room, very quickly but you must know the condition of the wall, how to paint and the amount of paint needed.

The choice of the paints: Paint is available in thousands of colors and a variety of different textures, sheens and coats. There are so many changing choices in the trend but one must be clear what the paint will look like.

The shine determines the brightness the paint will exhibit on your walls or ceiling.

The less the shine of the paint, the minimum is the glare or the reflection.

The shine of the coat hides the small imperfection but are difficult to clean and maintain.

Paints also come in mat finish which is easier to clean and reflection is not there.

Semi gloss paint is the perfect paint for children's rooms, kitchens and bathrooms because of their durability.

The enamels are used for painting wooden surfaces.

Making the walls ready for the paint: The condition of the walls determine the amount of colour needed and the finish. Here are some points to take care of:

If the walls are never painted before, they will soak a large amount of paint if applied directly, thus a coat of primer should always be used as the base coat.

It also gives you a smoother finish.

If your walls have already been painted, use a paint scraper to remove any loose or chipped old paint.

Fill any drywall holes with spackling compound too. Clean dirt off your painting surface.

Hardware and paint stores carry stain blocking products you can spray or brush on.

How to determine the quantity of the paint needed: The right amount of paint needed requires a skill and should be purchased carefully.

To estimate your ceiling paint multiply the length of the ceiling times the width. This will give you the area.
LENGTH X WIDTH = AREANext, divide the area by 350 to determine how many gallons of paint you will need. Where did we come up with the number 350? Most gallons of paint will cover 350 square feet! To estimate the wall paint needed, add together the length of each wall then multiply the sum by the wall height.
LENGTH + WALL HEIGHT = AREAYou can even subtract 20 square feet for each door and 15 square feet for each window in the room. Divide the final figure by 350 as shown above to tell you the number of gallons to purchase.