Choosing the Right Paint for the Job

Full-gloss, semi-gloss, or matte? Water-based or oil-based? Acrylic, enamal -- it can be overwhelming.

When you're doing your own painting, choosing the type of paint is entirely up to you. When you hire a professional painter, you'll have professional guidance, but you may still want to do your homework and have input into the choice. Here are factors to consider in making the decision:

• First, don't skimp. Whether you hire professional painters or do it yourself, your biggest investment is in the time it takes to paint. Don't waste the time and money involved in the paint job by choosing an inferior grade of paint.


• Second, be environmentally aware. Courtney and Wise are Dulux Certified, and will always make the green choice. Be sure that you or your painters choose paints with limited emissions, and reuse, dispose of, or recycle all materials appropriately.


• Third, pick the best paint for the purpose. A glossy enamel is perfect for fresh white interior woodwork, but not at all the right choice for an exterior. Your experienced painters are the best guides for the suitability of a particular paint type for a particular job.
  

A Surprising Tool for the Painter's Toolbox

Your toolbox contains lots of important and highly refined tools.

Don't overlook one simple and unrefined tool that's just as essential: a soft cotton rag.

You'll use it constantly:

• Use it to mop up spills and spatters, saving time in cleanup later.
• Keep your hands clean -- clean hands make for a clean and perfect paint job!
  
• Wrap it around your putty knife and wipe over painted glass when cutting in window frames.
• Wipe runs, over-runs, or uneven applications immediately, for a professional looking job at each stage of the painting process.

Remember to clean and dispose of rags in ecologically responsible ways. The best plan is to leave them outdoors to dry completely, being sure not to leave them where pets or small children might have access to them. Choosing less toxic paints in the first place is always a good move, but no paint rag is a good toy for your dog!

Your House's Era

Is your house Victorian, Federation, Californian Bungalow, or Contemporary?

Perhaps you've never thought about this before. But it's a good thing to think about when you consider what exterior colours to choose for your house.

How about a little reading?

• Australian Architecture
• Australian residential styles
• Wikipedia's article on the subject, with lots of pictures

Once you've identified the style of your house, you can consider the colours that were traditionally used for this style of house. You'll be wise to stick with the same range of colours for your house's new look. Deviating significantly from the traditional colour schemes is unsettling to the eye.

Does that mean you have to accept the traditional colour schemes, regardless of your personal preferences? Not at all. First, examine the choices associated with the style of your house, and choose your favorite main colour.

Now, think about choosing another colour for the trims -- the fascia boards, guttering, balustrading, etc. You can give your house a fresh, updated look by going with a nontraditional combination of colours here, without making your house look as though it has an identity crisis.

Ask your painting and decorating professionals for guidance on respecting your house's era while satisfying your own colour preferences.

Colours for Interior Woodwork

Woodwork can give a room much of its special character -- skirting boards, doors and door frames, window frames and sills, and moldings reinforce or even create architectural detail in a room.

Yet often the woodwork is overlooked in colour schemes, and fades into the background.

Avoid this by planning for your woodwork when you choose your initial colour scheme.

Woodwork is a trim for your room, and it can highlight features and add charm just as lace does on lingerie, or chrome trim on a sports car. To get the best effect, plan to use a contrasting colour.

If you're using a deep or eye-catching shade for your basic colour, such as a deep apricot or periwinkle, consider a glossy white enamel for your woodwork.

If you're going with a pale base colour, such as a rose beige or butter yellow, punch it up with a federal blue or bottle green for a strong contrast, or go with a deeper shade of the same hue for a mellow palette.

The one thing we wouldn't recommend is using a very trendy colour combination. Brown and aqua are still in style now, but by next year they might look dated. Picking out all the woodwork in a room can be time consuming. A more economical option, if you're determined to go with a trendy look, would be a single focus wall in one of the colours. Then, if next year the aqua looks old hat, you can repaint the single wall (tomato red?) for a fresh look with little investment.

A final word -- take into account the history and style of your home when you make your colour choices. Colours in keeping with a period and style will create a sense of harmony. The experts at Courtney and Wise can guide you with this specialised knowledge.