Whatever your design style and whatever size room you have, there are certain design trends that can help you enhance any room in your home in an interior renovation. From pastels to neutrals, to big dramatic colors, paint colors can evoke a variety of feelings – from happiness to comfort and passion. Don’t believe us? See our post on mood changing color and see what we mean.

Here are some tips on how to go about interior renovation by using color:

1. By painting your ceiling, a darker color, you can make your room feel more intimate. A darker color will create the illusion of a lower ceiling, which makes a room seem a bit cozier – especially if you have a fireplace.
2. Paint your front door a statement color that stands out from the rest of the house. Try a gorgeous historical blue or a radiant ruby red – not something you see every day.
3. To make your room feel more modern, you can paint the walls and trim the same color – but just be sure to use a different finish on each – flat paint for walls and semi-gloss for trim.
4. Make a small space seem larger by painting a lighter version of the wall paint, on the ceiling. Lighter colors above you give the illusion of more height in a room.
5. Choosing a bold or subtle wall color can create an energetic or relaxed atmosphere. Dramatic reds and blues and light and whimsical greens and yellows can make a true impact on the mood of your room.

Using vibrant colors on your walls is not only attractive, it elevates an emotional connection between you and your home – that’s why choosing paint colors are so crucial for interior renovation.

If you’re still unsure about your color palette choices, contact our color experts for a consultation. We can help you make the right decision that you’ll be satisfied with. Call us today!

The post Five Smart Tips on How to Use Paint Colors for Interior Renovation appeared first on J Canabe's Painting.

Many different design elements were popular in the 1970s and homes built during that time often contained indoor wood paneling. Styles have changed significantly, so most homeowners choose to remove the paneling, but there is less expensive way to enhance a room with wood paneling – paint!

Remodeling and redecorating can be extremely costly, but on a small budget, paneled walls can be painted to create an inviting, dramatic, new look. If there is indoor wood paneling in your home, chances are it is dark – painting the paneling would be the best way to fix the situation and brighten up the room. 

You can always hire professional house painters, but for all you DIYers we have five steps to follow if you choose to paint your indoor wood paneling:

1. Sand Down and Clean the Paneling Surfaces – Be sure you want to make the choice to paint the paneling, because once you do it cannot be undone. First, you’ll need to cover baseboards and crown molding with tape and a drop cloth and take off all of the switch plate covers. To allow the primer and paint to adhere to the paneling surface, you will need to sand it. For best results, we suggest using a 100-grit sandpaper. After you’re finished with sanding, wipe the wall with a damp cloth to get rid of the dust. The final step is to wipe the walls with a chemical deglossing liquid to remove the paneling’s old finish.

2. Apply Oil Primer to the Wall – In order to avoid the paint from peeling or blistering, it’s necessary to apply a high-quality oil primer to the indoor wood paneling. Priming will cover the color and grain of the wood paneling and create a smoother surface. Without using any primer, it might take more than two coats of paint to cover the paneling effectively. The primer can also be tinted to closely match the color of the paint, or a shade or two lighter

3. Fill in the Grooves – To eliminate the grooves in the paneling it’s best to use joint compound or spackling to fill them. If you choose a semi-gloss finish, the spackle will have to be primed as well before the paint is applied.

4. Cut In – In order to help the paint coverage on the paneling, you should use the “cutting in” technique. This is simply painting three inches inward along the edges and corners of the walls with a paintbrush before painting the wall surface with a roller. The distance should be wide enough to cover areas paint rollers cannot reach or anywhere the roller might scrape and mark adjacent ceilings and floors.

5. Paint the Paneling – The grooves of the paneling will not cover easily with a roller without applying primer. With the first coat of paint on the paneling, use a brush to fill in the grooves, then blend with a paint roller to hide the brushstrokes. On the second coat, don’t use the brush at all, just the roller.

No matter how much indoor wood paneling you have in your home, there is a painting remedy available. When you’re ready to start painting your paneling, if it gets to be overwhelming, contact us for a free quote and we’ll be happy to handle the job for you!

The post Paint Over Indoor Wood Paneling in Five Steps appeared first on J Canabe's Painting.