Choosing the Right Paint Colors for Living Rooms
In most homes, the first room your guests will see is the living room.
Because of this it is important that you create a living room that defines your sense of style. Using paint on the walls, ceilings and fixtures is the first step in creating the living room that you can be proud of.
Dimensions Determine Paint Choices
As with any home improvement project, the first decision you must make is what your color palette will be when you paint your living room.
Take some time to do this step right as the paint job can make or break the room. First, consider the size and shape of the living room as well as the amount of both natural and artificial lighting the room receives.
When choosing paint colors for living rooms, it is not considered a good idea to paint smaller rooms dark colors as darker colors tend to make rooms appear smaller; however, if your living room is very large, you will be able to consider using darker shades of paint.
Keep in mind, when you're choosing paint colors for living rooms, the amount of light the room receives will affect your paint choice as well. No matter how large the room, if it receives little to no natural light, you may want to stay away from darker colors.
Finally, take into consideration the color palette of the existing furniture pieces you have in the room. You will want to select a paint that is complimentary to these pieces.
Paint Consistency follows Color Choice
Once you have determined the right paint color for a living room, you will need to determine the paint type you will use in the room. There are various finish choices available.
These include flat, matte, eggshell semi-gloss and gloss. Determining which type of paint to use is actually very simple. Any paint with a gloss component should not be used on walls, moldings or other fixtures if they have imperfections.
The gloss component will make this stand out more. Gloss paint can be used to highlight architectural features and are an excellent way to paint molding and door or window jams.
Additionally, latex based paints are ideal for walls and ceiling while oil based paints work best for window jams and panes as they provide more protection for these items that have more exposure to weather elements.
Fun Faux Painting Techniques for Added Interest
The living room is an excellent place to use one of the many popular faux painting techniques. These techniques use latex paint and a thinning medium to create different textured looks. Color washes, dragging, and ragging are some popular examples. Do not be afraid to try one of these techniques.
They are actually very simple. In fact, many home improvement stores offer classes on the process.
Stencils, Murals and Free Painting
The living room is an excellent place to paint a large mural, use stenciling or even free painting. These options will allow you to completely customize your living room. An interesting way to create a mural is to base it off of a picture that is featured in the room.
Stencils can be placed around the room’s border as well as around doors and windows. Free painting is a hand painting technique which is popular way to add branches or other fine details around doors and windows.
Any of these techniques can be used to create a focal point for the room
Take the Time to Do the Math
Before you take a trip to the hardware store, figure out just how much paint you will need. This step can save you time and money so it is well worth the time it will take.
To determine how much paint you will need, measure the width of each wall and multiply the total by the height of the room. Be sure to take into consideration ‘empty’ spaces like windows and doors. As a rule of thumb, a gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet of wall space.
Be sure to keep in mind that you may need to coats of paint and do not forget to take the ceiling into consideration when you are making your calculations. If you are painting over a darker color, consider using a coat of primer.
You will not have to use as many coats of paint if you do.
