Sprucing Up with Paint!

If finances are tight, but you’re ready to give your home a new look, paint is the budget-friendly way to go.  Making it a DIY project is even more cost-effective, and with so many options and ways to add color to your walls, you need some guidance so it will look like it was done by a pro. 

Which Paint and What Finish? 

• Latex paint is best for walls, and oil paint is perfect for wood trim, because it seals stains.  Oil paint takes longer to dry, and has a strong odor, but if you add a tablespoon of vanilla extract per gallon, and open the windows, it helps keep the odor in check.  
• Flat paint goes on easily, but doesn’t clean easily; glossy paint is great for cleaning, and comes in semi-gloss, and satin, but doesn’t cover wall imperfections. For a nice compromise, an eggshell finish is somewhat flat, but easy to clean. 

Choose Your Color 

• Choose a color for the room/s you’re updating, and don’t be afraid of using a bold color.  This adds character and some wow factor to your home. Neutrals are great for quick-change decorating, or if you’re thinking of selling soon. 
• Using pint-can paint samples, apply a 2x2 foot area of each color on the wall you’re planning to paint, allow to dry for 24 hours, and look at them at different times of the day.  You’ll get a more accurate feel for the color in the different lights, and whether you can live with it or not. 
• Don’t forget the ceiling! You can change the feel of the room’s height by going a shade darker (for a lower ceiling feel), or go a shade lighter or use a lighter color to give the illusion of a higher ceiling. 

Painting Prep 

• Measure your room for square footage, and make sure you buy enough paint--about one gallon per 400 square feet. 
• Purchase good painter’s tape, drop cloths, putty, a good putty knife, caulking, and any tools you may need for removing hardware from any doors or walls. 
• Protect light fixtures, trim, or wall sconces with painter’s tape.  Move furniture and put down drop cloths. Use wall putty or caulking to fill and smooth any holes or other wall damage. 
• Clean, sand, and dust walls, using a vacuum to make sure all of the dust is off the walls. 
• Priming the walls is really important if you’re covering a dark color, if there are stains on the walls, or if you’re painting paneling or new sheetrock. Tint the primer with a little of your new wall color before applying. 

Start Painting 

• Paint mixing isn’t 100% perfect. Professionals mix all of the gallon cans together in a five-gallon bucket for color uniformity.   
• Paint in corners and close to the ceiling with a good brush before you paint the walls, working your way down to catch drips. This process is called “cutting in.” 
• Working in an overlapping W-pattern, apply paint until you need to reload the roller.  If you notice paint drying quickly, work in 3-4 foot sections of wall, but a whole wall can be accomplished in the case of a slower drying process. 
• Smoothing the paint is important and is done by using what paint is left on the roller to paint as close to the ceiling and corners as possible, where you’ve already cut in. This gives a smooth appearance to the finish. 
• Clean your equipment as soon as painting is done:  latex paint can be washed off with dish detergent and warm water, but oil paint should be cleaned off with paint thinner.  
• Once the paint is dry, after about 24 hours, move your furniture back in, but hold off hanging anything on the walls for a few days, and don't wash them until the paint has cured, usually two weeks to thirty days. 

A newly painted room can make your home feel fresh, and make it look as if you’ve redecorated.  If you’re feeling really adventurous, try painting a pattern on your wall.  It may take more time, but the dramatic effect it makes in the room makes the wall a focal point in itself. diy Network has some great tips for a patterned accent wall: http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/skills-and-know-how/painting/how-to-paint-stripes-chevrons-blocks-and-more 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Paint Colors That Sell and Some That Don’t

A new paint color in your home can do wonders for your mood and and choosing the right paint color can do wonders for helping to sell your home. Paint colors can change your mood from happy to sad to relaxed or even make you angry. Why not do your part to make selling your home as easy as you possibly can by choosing the right paint colors. Below are some color ideas to get you started in the right direction.

• Blue is a nice color for a home if you are looking for a peaceful feeling. Many people choose to paint the walls in their bedroom blue so that they will be more able to get a good night’s sleep. Some people like to paint a spa blue in their bathrooms to make it have a spa like feel. You can’t go wrong with blue paint when it comes to getting your home ready to sell.
• Another color that gives a good tranquil feeling to everyone who enters your home is green. Green is associated with nature and nature is typically peaceful. You can use green in almost any room of your house where you want to feel calm and peaceful. Some folks use light green paint in their bathrooms while others use darker earth tone greens in their family rooms.
• Yellow is a good color to paint in your home if you are interested in selling it because it makes folks feel happy and joyful. What better feeling would you want your prospective buyers to feel than joy and happiness as they enter your home. Typically yellows are used in hallways or large foyer areas. It is best however to stick with soft yellow colors and not get too carried away by attempting such as a mustard yellow color. Yellow paint done in the right way will appeal to most people.
• Be careful with painting grey in your home if you are trying to sell it because sometimes although you may be going for a warm inviting feel you may end up with a cold harsh feel and that is not something you want your buyers to pick up on. Grey done right can be very relaxing and inviting. Perhaps talking with a paint expert at your local hardware store might be a good idea before using grey.
• Brown is a typical staple color in a lot of homes. If you choose to paint beige which is a light form of brown in your home, you will likely find that it can be very warm and inviting to guests or potential buyers.

I would suggest not using orange or red in your home as a new paint color if you are going to be putting your house on the market anytime soon. These colors tend to make people feel anxious and or angry. Painting your home in a few new colors is a perfect way to get it ready for a great showing! Happy selling!
Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.
Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.
You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.
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