Probably the most questions I get asked on the blog and across social are about paint. Questions like – if I have a small room and if I go dark will it look depressing? (nope); or in summer months won’t dark colours feel too dark? (on the contrary they feel mesmerising) on and on I could go. I thought it might be smart to concentrate on the 6 most common mistakes people make with paint. Good idea no?
Making decisions based on the chip
Please never do this. You can’t use paint chips that is as your only reference before taking the plunge. If you gravitate to the hue go home swatch the biggest piece of wall you can and examine. How does the shadow fall upon the colour, what does it look like when direct light hits – that is the only way you will ever get a sense of how the colour will look. Also when you swatch out an area always, repeat always paint it out twice. One coat will not give you a proper indication of what the colour looks like.
CROSBY PAINT
Matching furniture to paint
Boring boring boring – if a room all looks the same and all blends there will be nothing interesting to catch the eye. Go up or down a stop with the tone it will look way cooler.
Thinking white makes spaces appear bigger
Wrong – I mean if you have a small room how much bigger do you honestly think painting it white will make it – twice as big? If you go dark in a room it adds depth, shadowy areas, corners fuzzing in and out and it feels totally more tantalising. My point doesn’t think painting a room white will make it feel bigger it won’t.Forgetting the floor
You certainly don’t need to paint the floor out in the same hue but you do need to consider the tone because it majorly affects the overall tonality in the room hence the reason for painting the hugest swatch first.
Cheaping out on applicators
No point in forking out for beautiful, expensive paint made from the best pigments if you’re going to cheap out on applicators. Simple as! Shoddy brushes with bristles flaking off, nasty rollers… they won’t give a beautiful finish. Better to spend a tenner more on something that will do the job justice, and will last you longer too.WHICH PAINTS?
I wanted to ask you guys a survey to find the best of the best of my own paint colours. Obviously I’m torn and I can’t choose (although Hudson, Madison and Mulberry are probably on the shortlist if you forced me!). So instead I’m putting to the vote. Let me know in the comments which is your fave hue, and I’ll be asking on social too. All part of my mission to expand the collection with some new hues.