Paint Color | University Painters

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Written by Colleen Kalil

9 October 2018

A Consumer’s Guide to Trendy Paints

America is a country of choice. We like choice in everything we do – from our breakfast drinks to our appliances, our jobs and to our modes of transportation. In fact, we insist on it. Choice drives the economy! One can sometimes wonder if perhaps we don’t have too many choices on occasion. Take, for instance, paint. Those paint companies seem to never run out of subtle differences in shades that make it possible to offer a hundred variances on the simple color ‘white’ if we are so inclined to opt for them. But then try comparing them side by side. It can be overwhelming.

Indeed, the savvy consumer can quickly become bogged down with the intricacies of something as simple as picking out a paint color. There are dozens of brand names that all compete for the title of highest quality and most exclusive. Some paint companies prefer to market to the public as having the ‘greatest value’, ‘wear-ability’ or ‘durability’. So, you can see, that choosing paint is not nearly as simple as it might have been even twenty years ago. Is there anything out there that can help make the decision process easier?

Actually, there is. Consumer Reports, a magazine long respected for its thorough examination of many market niches, takes the time on occasion to test a wide variety of paints for multiple factors including, but not limited to, the very ones we spoke of in this blog. While we would not tout one paint over another for any reason in our blog – even if it has the Consumer Reports seal of approval – we would point you in their direction and advise you to take the time to read their research before making any final decisions. An educated consumer makes better choices.

However, we will second one of their most astute observations. As noted in a Consumer Reports study regarding paint options, it is a good idea to stay away from the cheapest brands. They will likely not provide the ‘wear-ability’, ‘durability’, or thorough covering you can expect from the more popular, and usually more expensive, brands.

It’s usually true what they say – you get what you pay for.

Need more hints about painting? Contact the experts at Universal Painters, Inc. Our goal is to provide the best service for your home.

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Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

7 September 2018

Color Trends for 2018-2019

interior painting, painters, paint colors Have you ever walked into someone’s house and thought, “That color is so 1970s?” It’s easy to tell the last time a home was painted based on the color palette. While some colors are timeless, there are definite trends in color families, hue, and tone. Read on for the hottest colors for 2018 and 2019.

In House Beautiful’s May 2018 issue, the top five color trends for interiors were Sage, Gold, Ultra Violet, Crimson, and Teal. Bold colors are in, and it’s your chance to experiment. If you’ve never had anything except white walls, try something new. Select one, two, or more colors you’d like to try and paint a 2′ x 2′ area on the wall. Paint color often dries darker than it appears in the can. You’ll also want to see it at different times of the day.

Trends for 2019 are a bit more subtle, but they’re still not typical. Hazelnut, Lilac, Gray, Dark Green, and pastels are at the top of the list for color choices. The choices you make will depend on the style of your home, the room’s purpose, and your personal taste. Color psychology is a great way to guide your choice.

Colors in the red-orange family are warm and stimulate Purple your senses. While reds are associated with danger or caution, they convey power and energy. Orange is also energetic but in a lighter way than red. Yellow has a feeling of joy, brightness, and happiness. Children whose favorite color is yellow tend to be happier and more positive.

Blue and green represent nature, freshness, and growth, but also stability and safety. Most shades of green are calming colors, good choices for bedrooms or the living room. The lighter the colors in this palette, the more soothing the effect.

The color of royalty, purple has gained in popularity over the last few years. Purple represents wealth, luxury, and creativity.

White is a timeless classic and ranges from bright white to eggshell. White symbolizes purity, goodness, and cleanliness. It’s an excellent neutral if your furnishings have busy patterns or bold colors. Be careful when choosing bright whites. Depending on the light source and lighting in your home, it can appear harsh.

No matter what your color preferences are, the experts at University Painters can help you select the right color for you and apply it to perfection. Call us or go online for an appointment.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

31 March 2018

Painting Your Walls With These Colors Can Brighten Up Your Mood

Are you redecorating or looking to freshen up a space in your home? Are you looking for the right paint color to boost your mood? Choosing the right color can be a challenge, especially when you want different shades in different rooms. You don’t want your home to be the same color throughout.

The bedroom, for example, should be a calming and relaxing oasis where you get away from it all. Meanwhile, the dining room should make you feel alive and social. Sometimes white and off-white doesn’t always cut it. Try out some of these colors to improve your mood.

Blue

Blue is a popular shade because it’s so calming and relaxing. It helps devoted yogis to stay centered and focused. Blue can lower your blood pressure, clear your mind, and help steady your breathing. It’s perfect to use in a room where you meditate, lounge and rest, or practice yoga often.

White

Believe it or not, white is a tried and true color. Some people are afraid to paint their walls white because it can attract dust and dirt. Painting your home white will make it look more open and inviting. While it’s not a calm or relaxing color, white can make you feel happy and clean.

Yellow

Liven up your home with bright sunny yellow. Nothing is more joyful than walking into a yellow kitchen early in the morning. Most people are drawn to yellow because it represents the sun’s rays. Use it in rooms where you entertain your family and friends such as the breakfast room, kitchen, or sun room. However, if you have severe anxiety, you may want to choose a softer hue.

Green

This color is perfect for your office as it can reduce anxiety and promote prosperity. When most people think of green, they think of emerald green or bright green. This shade comes in relaxing hues that’s gentler on your eyes and is known to be calming and soothing. For those who love the great outdoors but live in the city, they may choose to use blue-green or forest green.

Red

You can use red as an accent color or all over your walls. Some people find red too loud in large amounts. Use a softer shade in a room where you and your family frequent the most. It’s a perfect color for socializing with your friends and family, especially around the holiday season.

Need a fresh coat of paint in your home? Contact University Painters today to find out about our interior painting services. We can bring new life and help improve your mood. Call our estimators to get a quote on your next interior painting project.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

25 March 2018

How To Choose The Right Colors For Your Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the busiest places in the home. It’s where your family cooks, eats, and spends time together. When you decorate your kitchen, you want to transform it into a special space you’ll be happy to come home to. Can’t decide on the perfect colors for your kitchen? Follow these steps to design your perfect kitchen.

Choose Your Favorite Colors

Forget about the trends. You want to paint your kitchen in the colors that you enjoy looking at every time you walk into the room. Sure, you can explore the popular options, but make a choice on what makes you happy. The popular or trendy paint colors may be easier to find, but the classics will make a lasting impression on your kitchen.

Create Your Own Color Palette

Once you know what colors you want to use, decide on your color palette. Visit a home improvements store and choose paint chips that stand out to you. Bring them home and see how well they go with your kitchen. Or, you can skip the trip and find stunning color palettes on Pinterest.

Start With Your Cabinets

This is the perfect place to start if you’re repainting or replacing your cabinets. Your cabinets and drawers are the focal point of your kitchen and should stay that way. Choose your colors with a long-term plan in mind. White cabinets may look pretty, but dirt shows up quickly, especially if you cook a lot.

Keep Your Countertops Neutral

You don’t want your countertops to clash or compete with your cabinets. While they may have one of the biggest surfaces in your kitchen, you want to keep them neutral. Choose neutral colors that best complement your walls, backsplash, and cabinets. This will also help you extend the life of your counters if you choose to renovate or repaint your kitchen later on.

Go Crazy With Your Backsplashes And Paint Color

This is where you can let your imagination run wild a little. While countertops and cabinets tend to use neutral colors, your paint color and backsplash is where you can get a little creative. Bright colors will make you smile every time you walk into your kitchen.

There are many options for backsplashes, including glass tiles. Since cabinets and appliances cover most of your walls, use a pop of color that you normally wouldn’t use in a room that’s painted in one color. An accent wall can allow you to use your favorite color without it dominating the entire room.

Decorating your kitchen can help liven it up. It can even change the view of the rest of your house. Whether you’re considering a major renovation or just one room, adding a new coat of paint will improve your home. Contact University Painters today to discuss the plans of your project and to learn more about our interior painting services.

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Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

22 March 2018

Benefits Of Painting The Interior Walls Of Your Home

Winter is actually the best time to paint the interior walls of your home. A fresh coat of paint can transform a room and remove years of built up stains and dirt. To learn why an interior painting project is so important, here are some advantages you can achieve with just a few coats of paint.

Cleans and Refreshes Your Walls

When you repaint your walls, the first step is to prepare the surface by sanding and cleaning them. You then lay down a layer of primer that’s known as a base coat. During this process, your walls become cleaner than they’ve been in a long time. You wouldn’t go without cleaning your floors and carpets. Why wouldn’t you want cleaner walls and ceilings?

Protects Your Interior Walls

Interior paint serves a similar purpose to exterior paint. Paint keeps out moisture, preventing mold or mildew from building up. It also repels dirt, dust, and allergens from your walls. If you live in an older home that has plaster walls, the paint can prevent dust from forming where the plaster would otherwise deteriorate.

Looks Aesthetically Pleasing

Most people love the dramatic change that comes with painting their walls. If you live in a smaller space, painting the walls a bright color can help open up that space. Light paint colors create space while dark colors make rooms feel cozier and smaller.

Be mindful of the paint color you use. Use a dark color on an accent wall to add a pop of color without making your room feel cold and cramped. A change of color can change the mood and style of a room. Reds and some yellows are ideal for kitchens and dining rooms, while blues and purples are perfect for bedrooms.

Increases the Value of Your Home

Thinking of reselling your home in the next few years? One of the best ways to improve the value of your home while saving money is to repaint your walls. It’s an affordable way to remodel, and it makes your home look attractive to potential buyers. If you want to make a small change on your home before putting it on the market, painting it is a great way to get a big return on your investment.

University Painters can help you with your next interior painting job. We’ll work with you to make your home remodeling project a success. Contact our professional and qualified estimators today to get an expert quote.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

11 March 2018

Choosing The Right Interior Paint For Your Home

Choosing the right paint color isn’t always a fun process. You can make it easier when you know exactly what you’re looking for. Deciding on the right paint color takes a little research, but it’ll make your interior painting project a whole lot easier.

You’ll probably end up with a few different color shades that you want to use. Here are some tips for choosing the right paint color that will help you avoid making a costly mistake.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

4 March 2018

5 Colors You Should Never Paint Your Walls

Painting your home can be an overwhelming task and can feel like a chore at times. There are so many colors, combinations, and finishes to choose from. You sometimes wonder if you should go the easy route and paint it all white. You probably shouldn’t if you plan to resell your home down the road.

Painting your home may not be easy to do, but it’s one of the easiest ways to update the look of your residence. If you want to add a new coat of paint but will be listing your home soon, here are some shades you need to avoid.

Yellow

Never paint your kitchen yellow, no matter how warm the color makes you feel. Homes that had soft yellow or marigold kitchens sold for $820 less than other homes, according to Zillow. Yellow is a tricky and risky color to pull off when it comes to your home’s interior. While buttery yellow can look pleasing to the eyes, bright yellow can cause headaches and anxiety.

Dark Brown, Eggplant, or Any Dark Color

Dark brown is also not a hit with Zillow’s study. Bedrooms that had dark brown walls sold for $236 less than other homes. Colors like dark brown, eggplant, olive green, and green-brown make homes feel small, cramped, and dark. While buyers have the option to repaint their homes, they can’t see past these ugly shades.

Terracotta

Terracotta may look like another cheerful color, but even a muted terracotta can decrease the value of your home. Buyers aren’t crazy about bright orange walls since it’s one of the least-liked colors in the world. They also didn’t like seeing brick red and copper dining rooms and kitchens.

Gray-Blue or Slate Gray

While blue was one of the most-liked colors in 2017, buyers weren’t crazy about rooms with gray-blue walls. They didn’t take kindly to living rooms that featured muted silver, pastel gray, light blue, periwinkle, or slate gray walls. Gray may be a trendy color in fashion and interior design, but that doesn’t mean it’s likable. Paint your home’s dining room or living room gray or slate, and you could lose $1,112 when you sell it.

White, Off-White, or Eggshell

White bathrooms may seem simple and minimalist in design, but buyers disagree. A coat of this generic color could set your home’s selling price back by over $4,000, according to Zillow. Some people prefer off-white or eggshell because it makes a smaller room look brighter and bigger. Buyers, on the other, thinks it makes a room look “dead” and “flat,” especially if the room lacks in natural light.

Considering painting the interior of your home? Need to freshen up your space? Contact University Painters today for a free estimate and more information on our interior painting services.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

22 February 2018

Signs That Tell You It Is Time To Repaint Your Home

Painting your house goes beyond aesthetics. A good painting job can protect your home from outdoor elements, as well as preserve its value, but how do you know that your house needs a new coat of paint? Here are four signs that can tell you it is time to repaint your home:

Fading Color

A fading paint color, because of prolonged exposure to elements such as water and sunlight, indicates your house needs repainting. The loss of paint color does not only affect the paint pigments but also the molecular structure of the coatings. This means that when exterior surfaces start to look dull and washed out, the paint film is already deteriorating.

Colors fade progressively, so it may be difficult to identify how much fading has occurred. One way of determining the degree of fading is to compare the existing paint film against the original sample or leftover paint. Houses that use bold and darker shades tend to fade more quickly than those painted with light colors.

Chalky Residues

Color fading is sometimes caused by chalky residue. Excessive chalking can erode the paint film until it can no longer provide an effective barrier against harmful elements. If you find any chalky residue on the surface of your wall, consider it a sign that it is time to call a painting contractor to repaint your home.

Cracking And Peeling Paint

Areas where the paint has cracked or peeled off will continue to deteriorate if the problem is not addressed immediately. This results in the surface being exposed to potentially damaging water, moisture and heat.

Paint film that is flaking off can likewise no longer protect the structural elements of your home, resulting in the bare wood being exposed to wood-destroying fungi that can jeopardize the structure of your home.

Mold and Water Stains

Mold, mildew and water stains are not just unsightly. They are also symptoms of bigger issues and pose potential health hazards. You need to use the right chemicals to get rid of the mildew and mold. Painting over areas with mold spores will only make the problem worse. A professional painter will know how to address this issue. Make sure to contact an expert if your walls have unsightly molds.

University Painters can help you with home repainting. Contact us today to learn more about our services.

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Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

4 February 2018

Avoid These Mistakes People Make When Choosing Paint Colors

It is crucial to make an educated choice when selecting paint colors for your home. You do not want to live in a home with colors that are either too boring or too overwhelming. Make sure to avoid the following mistakes people often make when choosing paint colors:

Failing To Take The Furniture And Decor Into Consideration

It isn’t a good idea to choose a paint color simply because it is your favorite hue. Consider all the elements in a room or your house when choosing a paint color. You do not want a paint color that clashes with your couch or favorite painting.

Regular Post

Written by Colleen Kalil

6 January 2018

Choosing The Right Paint Colors For Your Home

People often have a hard time picking out paint colors. Colors can transform your house into a home but the challenge for most homeowners is having to choose from thousands of available colors and picking the perfect one. Should you choose a dark or light color? Cool or warm? Neutral or bold? Here are some tips to help you pick out the perfect paint color:

Consider The Location Of The Room

There are several questions that you need to answer when choosing colors for particular spaces in your home. What is the purpose of the room you want to paint? Will the room serve as a dining area where you plan to entertain guests and spend time with your family every night for dinner? Will it be a laundry room, or will it be the master bedroom that will serve as your sanctuary after a busy day at work?

Different colors have different impacts. A pale blue, for instance, helps you feel relaxed so it is often painted in the bedroom. A bright color, on the other hand, can make you feel more active so you can use it in a work area.

Pick A Color Palette

Once you know the purpose of the space and what you want yourself and others to feel in this particular room, it is time to pick a color palette. Look around you. You should pick a color that goes well with everything in your room, You can also choose the color first then work around this color by accessorizing with curtains, decors and painted furniture.

See The Colors In Action

It is a good idea to give your colors a test before you proceed with the painting job. Paint the colors you’re considering onto white poster boards and place these next to your furniture, carpet and cabinets. Move the poster boards to different places in the room and look for color undertones at night in artificial lighting, during the day with natural lighting, and during rainy days.

Once you have chosen the colors for your home, be sure to choose a professional to perform the paint job for you. Feel free to contact us at University Painters to learn more about the house painting jobs we provide.

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