BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE PAINT STORE

Image: Cottonbro Studio, Pexels

Take a long hard look at the room you want to paint. Is it on the north or south side of your home? North-facing rooms tend to get cooler color of light, so colors with a warm undertone generally look better. The opposite applies to south-facing rooms. Speaking of light, does your room get a lot of the natural kind or do you rely on artificial lighting? That will also affect the way a color looks.

Now you’re ready to dive into the world of color. Once you’ve found some you like, it’s time to …   

GO HOME AND GO BIG

Image: Angi.com

Don’t even think about making a final decision on a wall color from a tiny square on a paint color card. That’s a good place to start, but once you’ve narrowed it down to a few favorites, you’ll need something bigger. Many paint companies have apps that allow you to upload a photo of your room and virtually paint it. That’s a great way to narrow the field but remember that the color on the screen may not be an exact match to the color in real life.

You can buy stick-on color samples (like giant Post-it notes) that are about a foot square. You can move them around without leaving marks on your wall, but the texture won’t be the same as your wall, and texture matters. The best option? Buy a sample or quart of your top contenders and paint a big ol’ area of each of your walls—like two-to-four feet tall and wide big. Then, once you’ve got some color on your wall …

TAKE YOUR TIME

Image: Natalie Vaitkevich, Pexels

First, give your sample area(s) time to dry. You might need two coats depending on the current color. Then live with it for at least a couple of days. Why? Your mood can affect the way you see the color. Other members of the household may have opinions that could sway yours. You could change your mind. Remember, paint in haste, repent in leisure. While you’re pondering your choice …

LIGHT IT UP

Image: Pixabay

Study your color options at different times of day and in different lights. Daylight vs. artificial. Morning vs afternoon. It can make a huge difference. The color that makes your heart sing in the morning may become a “what was I thinking?” shade by evening. Finally …

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR

Image: Blogspot

Are there other colors in adjacent rooms that can be seen from this one? Will your new color play well with the one “next door” or will it clash? If contrast is what you want, that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure you know how much contrast you’re getting to avoid a shocking surprise.

Don’t worry, you’ve got this. It’s just paint, after all. When you’ve made a decision and you’re ready to take the plunge, contact us to take your chosen color from dream to done.

The post HOW TO AVOID BUYER’S REMORSE WHEN CHOOSING A PAINT COLOR appeared first on ProTek Professional Painting Services.

1. ADD COLOR TO YOUR CABINETS

Image:  PWD Lighting

If you always sigh in envy at the cabinet color combinations you see in magazines, this is the perfect place to try one out before committing to an entire kitchen. It’s also a good place to go a little wild and add a punch of your favorite color. Then when you’re faced with a mountain of dirty clothes, the happy cabinets will give you something to smile about.

2. ADD DRYING RACKS

Image:  Jennifer Allwood Home

Remember what your mom used to say:  if you hang up those clothes as soon as they’re dry (or as soon as they come out of the washer, depending on the item) you won’t need to iron them. But what if you don’t have enough—or any—hanging space?

You can mount drying racks to the wall that fold up when you don’t need them, or follow Jennifer Wood’s lead and hang an old ladder from the ceiling. The beauty of using a ladder, Jennifer says, is, “By using a ladder, we now have two ways to hang our clothes, sideways or up & down.” Find out how she did it here.

3. WAKE UP YOUR WALLS

Image:  Etsy

If colorful cabinets aren’t your thing—or even if they are—the laundry room is also a great opportunity to go bold on the walls. Paint them a cheerful color, add stripes or designs or an ombre effect…how about a fun wallpaper? Most laundry rooms are fairly small, so you won’t have to buy that much and the stick on kind makes installation easy. Well, easy for wallpaper, anyway.  

4. MAKE STORAGE PRETTY

Image:  The Idea Room

Elevate the laundry experience with elegant storage solutions. Decant detergent into a glass container, tuck your dryer sheets into a tissue box cover, or set up baskets to keep the necessaries conveniently located but looking good. Don’t forget to add something that can serve as a lint bin. You can find cute magnetic ones that can stick to your dryer, but almost any pretty container will do.

5. HIDE IT IN PLAIN SIGHT

Image:  Heather Bullard

If your washer and dryer are out in the open or in a closet, you might take a cue from Heather Bullard and hide the appliances with cute curtains. Not only is it more attractive when the curtains are closed, the shelf on top makes this space available for more than just laundry duty. It could serve as a bar at a party or a place to display things you love but haven’t found the just right place for…yet.

6. SHELVE IT

Image:  @psdstudio on Steel Lighting

Add wall shelves to store supplies and décor. Depending on how much space is available next to or between your washer/dryer, you might also be able to squeeze a small shelf, a rolling cart with pull-out drawers, or even an old bookshelf to help with storage.

7. MAKE SPACE

Image:  This Old House

If you need more storage—and who doesn’t? —take a cue from the tiny home movement and use every bit of available space. Raising your washer and dryer with a riser (from a kit or DIY) will not only make them more comfortable to use, it adds room for pull-out storage underneath. You can also add magnetic baskets or hooks to your washer or dryer to corral items. Imagine the possibilities!

8. DON’T FORGET THE FLOOR

Image:  Armstrong Flooring

Depending on where your laundry room is located, the floor may be consistent with the rest of the house. But if not, consider adding interest with new flooring. It doesn’t have to be expensive—the one pictured is a vinyl sheet. (Bet you thought it was tile; we did, too, at first glance.) If the floor is fine as is, adding a pretty rug will not only make your floor look better, it’ll feel better underfoot the next time you’re tossing a load of stinky clothes into the wash. That’s worth something, right?

Whatever you decide to do (or not do) with your laundry room, may your clothes never shrink, your colors never run, and all your stains come out. Have a great day!

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If your home doesn’t have shutters, step one may be to add them—or you can consider these colors for your door and/or trim instead. Before you make any decisions, check out these options and see which one might be perfect for your home.

BLACK

Image:  Brick & Batten

The most popular shutter color, black is a classic, especially for brick homes. It’s also, according to Brick & Batten, “the perfect companion for lighter grays and whites.” (FYI, their pick was Black Beauty by Benjamin Moore.) They also advise “painting the front door and garage doors the same color as the shutters” and adding matching black accents like the planters and light fixtures shown here to bring a “cohesive vibe” to your home.

WHITE

Image:  Shutterland

Another popular choice, especially for houses where the body of the house is a contrasting color. (White shutters on a white house would be hard to see, which defeats the purpose of adding a design feature.) For homes with brick or non-white colors, white shutters are a clean, timeless look. Bonus:  they can make windows look and feel larger.

NAVY

Image:  Chrissy Marie Blog

On the other hand, if your home is white and black seems a little too harsh, how about a crisp navy blue? It’s also a classic, particularly when paired with a red front door for a little patriotic flair. For more beautiful blue and white combos, check out this post.

A DARKER SHADE OF YOUR HOUSE COLOR

Image:  Photo by Binyamin Mellish

“Another hot trend,” according to Georgia Front Porch, “is staying within the same color family for accent hues.” A more subtle look than some of the others, this kind of understated pairing may be just what your home needs.

ANY COLOR YOU LOVE

Image:  Shutterland

It’s your house: you can paint your shutters any color you think complements the look of your home. The shutter police will not come calling. The HOA, maybe, but you’ll have that conversation before you whip out the paintbrush…right?

NATURAL WOOD

Image:  Lowes

Maybe the best color for your shutters isn’t a paint color at all, but one found in nature. Wood tones like the cedar shutters shown here add warmth and pair well with styles from farmhouse to mid-century to modern.

NONE

Image:  Behr

Here’s a thought:  Maybe your house doesn’t need a different color of shutters…maybe it doesn’t need shutters at all. Consider removing them and painting the trim a contrasting color for a fresh, clean look.

Whatever color you choose, we’d be happy to help turn that paint chip into reality. Request a consultation today.

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1. Lavender

This lush hue might not be as saturated as the rest of the colors on this list, but it’s still a great seasonal pick that you will enjoy year-round.

Our inspiration: A scoop of lavender ice cream on a warm summer night…yum!

2. Mustard Yellow

Okay, okay. So, we’ve clearly got a thing for mustard—just about any time of year. But there’s something about this color that simply screams “summer” to us.

Our Inspiration: The neighborhood lemonade stand

3. Green

This blue-ish green is a winner in our book! We love it as an accent wall, but it would be a wonderfully bold color for your kitchen and living room. We could see it in just about any room!

Our Inspiration: Walking barefoot in the grass

4. Blue

This whimsical shade of blue is guaranteed to put you in a good mood. It’s perfect for a kitchen as pictured below or would also be great for a bathroom refresh.

Our inspiration: Blue summer skies

Looking for help with your next home design project? Our ProTek Painting Services Team is safely serving Middle Tennessee right now, and we’d love to help! Reach out for your consultation and estimate today.

The post 4 Vibrant Shades We Love for Summer appeared first on ProTek Professional Painting Services.

We scrolled through Instagram to find images and inspiration for summer remodels, paint projects, and home improvement adventures, and more! Take look through

For your paint swatch Collection:

For the bold color enthusiast:

For the minimalist:

FOR Those Who can’t quit Wallpaper:

Now that you’ve got the inspiration you need to get started on your next project, you might be looking for some practical tips and tricks to get you started.

Here are a few blogs we recommend checking out next to help you on your way:

What Different Paint Colors Mean in Your Home
Four Professional Painting Secrets You Need to Know
Five Interior Paint Mistakes Most People Make

Looking for professional help with your next home design project? Our ProTek Painting Services Team is safely serving Middle Tennessee right now, and we’d love to help! Reach out for your consultation and estimate today.

The post Instagram Inspiration For Your Summer Paint Projects appeared first on ProTek Professional Painting Services.

Which of these ideas would you most like to try? Come on over to our socials and let us know on Facebook and Instagram.

Kitchen cabinets

The kitchen is one of the most heavily used spaces in our homes, but it rarely gets the attention it deserves. You don’t have to do an all-out kitchen renovation to refresh your cooking space. Look no further than your cabinets to change the overall vibe of your kitchen in a snap! Wood cabinets are the most ideal for painting. However, any surface that can be sandpapered first can be painted for a fresh new look. Here are a few of our favorite cabinet painting ideas.

Bathroom

Small spaces mean you can take a big chance without it costing you an arm and a leg. Instead of reaching for neutral colors on your next bathroom update, why not try an accent wall, a bold shade of blue, or even a two-tone paint job? The sky is the limit when you have a little bit of creativity and inspiration.

Ceilings

There is no surface more neglected in most homes than our ceilings. But every room has them, so why not make them fun? The next time you want to add some unique personality to your space, don’t be afraid to look up! P.S. – Always be sure to correctly prep and protect all surfaces before painting your ceiling.

Spice Up Your Staircase

If you live in a two-story home, you most likely use your stairs daily. And even if your home doesn’t boast a grand entryway or curved staircase, there are still an endless number of options for making your staircase something worth talking about. Just check out these examples!

So there you have it! With just a little bit of effort, the small spaces in your home can become big on style. Which of these pops of color was your favorite?

The post Small Space, Big Impact: Where To Add Pops of Color in Your Home appeared first on ProTek Professional Painting Services.

Just because a can of paint is sitting on a shelf at a paint store, that doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for you or your home decor. There are definitely paint colors to NEVER paint in a home and here are a few to keep in mind! 

What Paint Color To NEVER Paint With In Your Home

Considering giving your home a facelift with paint? Avoid these paint colors at all costs!

1. Black

Black is never a good idea because it instantly closes up a room. Whatever the size of your space is, it will instantly feel half that size or more. Even if you love the color black, never paint an entire room this color. An accent area? Sure. The entire room? No. 

2. Any paint with glitter added

While glitter looks pretty, you need to be thinking long term for the days when you’ll want to paint over it. There are a ton of paint options on the market now that offer glitter added. Not only does this mean the paint will be textured because of the glitter, but it also means you’ll have to find a way to remove all that glitter and texture the next time you decide to paint. No matter how hard your kids are begging you to buy that glitter paint, just say no. You’ll save yourself hours of headaches and work in the future.

3. White

I know, I know…there are so many homes that have white walls. But those walls are boring and need to be spruced up. Using paint colors in your home is a fun and simple way to add character and expression without breaking the bank! 

If the time has come to paint inside your home, avoid these three paint colors! Instead, find paint options that mesh well with your decor and the flow of your house. Save yourself time and money by getting the paint colors right in the first place.

If there is EVER any doubt, your local paint specialists here at ProTek Painting Services are more than happy to help!

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