To spruce up your home interiors, you don’t always need professional help. Whether you are a great painter or not, you can utilise your minimal painting talent and oozing creativity within your home to give your pad or your furniture a complete makeover. To paint your home walls or to refurbish old furniture, a bright dash of colour works wonders if done correctly.
“It’s a fun thing to do, if you have the time and inclination to innovate your home with colourful paints. But one should never blindly copy a décor style seen in a magazine or at your neighbours house,” says, Monica Kamal, interior designer. Anita Mittal, a school teacher, who loves to paint her home accessories and furniture items in her free time, says, “Using your creativity to paint décor accessories and furniture pieces brightens up the home environment. It adds a personal touch.”
Identify makeover object
The first step towards the makeover is to identify the wall, furniture or the décor accessory that deserve a colourful change. The identified spot or item should be strategic to the décor in order to bring the change. From a wall, old chairs, trunks, chesters, drawer tables, stools, plant pots to wooden cabinets, all of them can be your canvas.
Way to walls
Always plan a paint job with an extra day, and don’t try to get everything done in one day. Gather the furniture in the center of the room, remove all wall decorations, tape any doors or windows around the wall and cover wall and ceiling fixtures (light bulb’s removed) with plastic bags. Also, remember to fix any cracks or holes, before you paint the first coat. There are handy DIY (Do-it-yourself) paint kits available at the local hardware stores or you can order them online as well.
Way to walls
Always plan a paint job with an extra day, and don’t try to get everything done in one day. Gather the furniture in the center of the room, remove all wall decorations, tape any doors or windows around the wall and cover wall and ceiling fixtures (light bulb’s removed) with plastic bags. Also, remember to fix any cracks or holes, before you paint the first coat. There are handy DIY (Do-it-yourself) paint kits available at the local hardware stores or you can order them online as well.
Expand your canvas
Don’t curb your painting skills to just walls. You can experiment with any furniture item such as an old chair or chester with chipped or stained polish and décor accessories such as lamps or lamp stand, vases, or even ceiling fans in funky designs. This will lend a new lease of life to the old room. You can either choose a colour that is part of the décor scheme or smear a bright contrasting colour for a striking look.
Get the basics right
-For painting your walls, always consider the area and the usage of the space. Keep in mind the size of the room and the colour scheme of the room’s furnishings. Select a particular colour for your walls or a single wall (if you plan a bright shade). Always pick a theme and then work on it.
-You can opt for sponge painting or texture painting for a single wall to create a focal point.
-Before you apply the first paint coat, whether on a wall, furniture item or any accessory, ensure that the surface is plain and flat. This will give a clean and smooth coat.
-Remember that too many layers will spoil the job. Do not exceed three coats or else the paint is at the risk of chipping or cracking from the surface.
-You will enjoy the job if you gather the entire paint kit at the start itself. The kit includes paint, brushes, rollers, hammers, screwdrivers, plastic bags, plastic wrap, rags, paint can-opener, and drop cloths.
Get ready for the job
-No matter how hard you try; paint and its drips will stain your clothes and your skin. Wear old and comfortable clothes that can be disposed after the job.
-Keep your hair tied back or cover your head with cap to keep them well protected.
-Take off all your jewellery. Wear slip-on shoes that protect your feet from being spoiled.
-Also, you can use a scarf to cover up your face if the smell of the paint is not your sniff.