Painting is the best way to spend a little bit of money for a great new look in any room. Right now is a great time to take some creativity and paint those walls you’ve been staring at all winter long.
At AgriShop, we have a great selection of colors and finishes for all the rooms in your house. We also carry Mythic paint, a no VOC paint that is safe for your family and environmentally friendly. If you’re thinking about embarking on a paint job, here are some tips to get you started:


Choosing a Paint…
- The type of paint you choose should depend on the area you’re painting. There are some paints that are best for industrial areas and some that are better for in home usage and contain no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds: harsh vapors and fumes). We carry a variety of paints to choose from. Talk with our paint expert about what your area of choice is like and they can help find one that fits you and your needs.


Choosing a Color…
- Don’t worry about what the hot trendy color is. Focus on a color you can live with for as long as you can stand it. The best rule of thumb is focus on a palette of colors that you fin yourself wearing most of the time. If you like it on you, chances are you can stand to live in it.
- If you need some inspiration, find a couch cushion or a rug. Something that is a constant in the room is a good place to start. You want your walls to match the furniture you already have so if you can create a palette based off of something you already have, you can narrow your choices.
- Always consider the atmosphere you want to create in the room. Warm colors like red, yellow, and orange are great in social areas like a family room or dining room. Cool colors like blue, green, and violet are calming and are best in bedrooms and offices.
- Neutral colors are also a great option and can have as much of an impact as bold colors if used properly. They are simple, clean and can help open up a small space.

Choosing a Finish…
- Not all paint is the same. Even though you have the perfect color in mind, you need to consider what kind of finish you need for the space. They range from flat to high gloss. If you’re not sure what kind you may need, our paint experts are able to help you out. Just explain what room you are painting and we can help find the right finish for you.

Tools of the Trade…
- When picking out what brush to use, consider your wall textures. Different textures require different brushes for the best coverage.
- When painting trim or detailed edges, use an angled brush for the best results.
- For the cleanest lines, use painter’s tape. Not everyone is perfect and mistakes happen. Using a good painter’s tape helps prevent spill over from one space to another.
- Tarps or painters cloth is a necessary tool especially if you are painting in a carpeted room or are not able to completely remove furniture out of the room. Always measure the room to get an idea of how much you’ll need before you start to paint. Remember, it’s better to have more than not enough.

Open Canvas…
- So you’re getting ready to start, what’s your plan of attack? If you start with an idea in mind of how you’re going to go through the job, it goes a lot smoother. The best way we’ve found is after you tape your area; start outlining your edges and corners first. Then you can go ahead and tackle your open walls.

Space Cases…
- If you have a small space and you want it to look larger look to your ceiling for the answer. If you paint your ceiling one shade lighter than the rest of your walls your room will look taller and more open. Light colored walls will also help the space look larger.
- For a long narrow space, a hallway for example, paint the shorter walls a darker color than your longer walls. Even just a shade darker will give the effect of a wider, more open area.
- Accent walls are great. They add just a touch of color without going overboard. For best results, choose a wall that does not have any doors or windows.
- Don’t disregard other rooms that may connect with the room you’ve chosen to paint. If your colors in the other room are visible from the room you’re going to paint, you’ll want to take that into consideration when choosing colors.

One More Thing…
After your paint job is through, one helpful hint for next time you decide you want to paint is to keep a log of the color name and brand of the paint you used. If you want to touch up later on or maybe find another color to match it later on down the road, it’s nice to know exactly what color you used instead of trying to guess which one it might have been.

For more tips on how to get your painting started, just ask your AgriShop Ace Hardware paint expert. We can color match any object you may have for you inspiration and work with you to find the right tools and paint to complete your project.




 

Added on 02/18/2010

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