It’s always fun to know which colours are the most fashionable when you decide it’s time to decorate.
Whether you’ve just bought a new home and want to put your stamp on it, or you’re preparing to sell your home, having a contemporary colour scheme gives your home a modern look and feel.
So before you dip your brush, here’s the Colour of the Year for 2022, according to multinational paint company Sherwin-Williams. And it’s a subtle hue of olive green called SW 9130 – or “Evergreen Fog”.
The company describes the colour as a mid-tone grey-green inspired by a “regenerative, natural world”. Its selection follows a three-year pattern in home design of getting back to nature.
Natural fibres, unique artisan pieces, plants and wood flooring are all in vogue now. Designers believe they help to create a sanctuary from the daily challenges posed by the prolonged pandemic experience. Evergreen fog will look great in living and dining areas and is said to be best-paired with neutral tones.
Whether you’re about to put your home on the market or you want to revitalise your new home, here are five tips to help make your painting project a great success.
Be prepared
Always use sugar soap to clean the surfaces before you begin to paint. Painter’s tape (NOT masking tape) will help you avoid hitting ceilings with a roller or accidentally brush against other surfaces. With gloss paint, consider sanding the wall and wiping it down a second time. The resulting rough surface will give the paint something to grab on to and provide the best result.
Wrong brush
If you’re using water-based paint, you need synthetic bristles on your brush. Natural bristles work best with oil-based paints. It’s tough to spread the water-based paint with natural bristles because they soak up the water in the paint.
Rip it off
Tape is essential to achieve clean lines, but it will take some of the paint when you remove it if you leave it too long. Don’t leave the tape any longer than an hour after painting. If removal proves tricky, use a hairdryer to warm and melt the tape’s adhesive.
Be primed
Using a primer or undercoat is a great way to ensure a top-class finish. If you’re painting a light colour over a dark one, it’s essential to avoid “show-through”. And if you’re painting new drywall or gyprock, be aware these surfaces suck up regular paint. They’ll require multiple coats without a primer.
Ignoring weather
Paint hates extreme temperatures. High humidity will affect drying times, and it doesn’t dry evenly when cold. On hot days, the paint might bubble or dry too quickly and have an uneven finish. So this summer you may well have an excuse that it’s ‘too hot to paint’.