Everyone has that one room at home where the paint just doesn’t sit right. It might be a kitchen where you can’t stand the light hitting off glossy paint. It could be a small bathroom that feels almost claustrophobic because someone decided an intense colour was the way to go. It could even be that murals on the nursery wall now look outdated and you don’t know what to do? When in doubt, it helps to have painting tips which make it easy to paint around any family home.
Now, this article isn’t a guide looking at how to paint in a family home room by room, but rather some of the features to look out for when buying paint. It can feel quite overwhelming trying to buy paint if you aren’t sure what you need to be looking for. Follow what I’m about to say, and you will soon have the perfect paint for any family home paint job. Just remember to double-check you have a few spare bedsheets handy to cover up or else you’re in for a few nasty surprises.
Eggshell is the new standard
I remember having a very glossy paint in my bedroom when I was young. I also remember hating how it looked anytime I had to turn lights on in the evening. The glare and plastic looking reflection weren’t conducive to the warm and inviting atmosphere every kid’s bedroom should have.
That’s why I recommend you use eggshell for painting any bedroom at home. This style of paint, which you can see here, will do you no wrong. It strikes the perfect balance between a low sheen and soft coverage that regular gloss and matt can’t achieve.
If you’re clueless with paint, consider eggshell the default finish for any home.
Have “handsy” little ones? Time to be scrubbable
Upon finding a stain or mark on a wall, most people will try and clean it off with something akin to a feather touch. If you find that wiping away marks leaves you with a little discoloured circle, your paint doesn’t have any scrubbability. Every home needs to have scrubbable paint on walls. It will let you get away with washing the wall without affecting the coat in any way. Even if you have the kind of house where you think stains on the walls won’t be a problem, I recommend getting scrubbable paint for your kitchen and bathroom. Both are areas where the likes of soap, water, dyes and stains can blot on walls; all instances where you will want to wash away to avoid a dirty looking wall.
For any homes where kids are always attacking walls, I’ve come across a solution that allows for constant stains and crayon/marker scribbles all over the wall willy nilly. A bit like the local council designating areas for graffiti artists to work, get yourself some chalkboard paint and give a section of wall in a bedroom or kitchen become the chalkboard. Doing so in the kitchen is a great idea, as it can become a memo board for mum and dad too.
Look for eco/low VOC paints
Most brands now create environmentally friendly paints for interiors, making them a must for family homes. When shopping, you want to look for any symbols or text on the paint, which tells you it has a low VOC content. VOC means volatile organic chemicals, and are chemicals which help paint adhere to a surface. Most brands now make low VOC paints for interior use. You would only notice this by the paint having less of a smell when drying, and a faster drying time; both ideal when you have a limited window to paint and don’t want any family members breathing in anything they shouldn’t.
Always grab a primer or undercoat
You should buy quick-drying paints to save on time. Still, you’ll do yourself a disservice if you don’t get a coat of primer or undercoat on the wall first, especially if you are painting over a colour. Primers act as a buffer between the wall and your paint, essentially pulling the two together while helping reduce the number of coats you will need on the wall.
Follow these tips and painting any room around the home for your family should be easy peasy.