It's time for spring cleaning, and while for some that means vacuuming furniture into hard-to-reach places or emptying the freezer, it's important to consider the entire situation.
While we often think about cleaning the inside of our homes or cleaning our cars, we don't tend to clean the outside of our homes, but they protect them from the elements every day and all year round.
Think about the exterior of your home
Incorporating the outdoors into your spring cleaning this year can help prepare your entire home for summer. Start from top to bottom: first the roof, then the walls, then the terraces and paths. Cleaning your home's exterior paint will immediately make it look fresher, with the long-term benefit of the paint lasting longer.
If this seems like a huge task, don't worry, there are handy products that make it less intimidating. Clean your roof with Resene Roof and Metal Wash and use Resene Bio-Cleaner or Resene Paint Prep and Housewash on your exterior paint to brighten and condition it. For areas like patios and pathways, spray on Resene Deep Clean and then simply let it sit as the weather changes to clean your surface. Simply!
Start with small projects
Boost your DIY confidence by starting with something that's easy to do. The front door can be a good starting point. Quickly change the look of your exterior with a fresh, cheerful color for your front door.
Citrus tones like Resene Adrenalin and Resene Turbo are popular right now, as is the bright pink Resene Smitten. Use a glossy finish like Resene Enamacryl to highlight the color.
Other small projects you can complete in a weekend include patio furniture, fencing, or decking.
Victory walls
In general, it is better to repaint a wall than to try to touch up numerous stains in the middle of the wall. Touch-ups can be difficult.
The right finish is the key to making your interior stand out. One of the most popular interior finishes is Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. The wonderful thing about this finish is that unlike traditional acrylic paints which can only be used in dry spaces such as living rooms and bedrooms, Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen can also be used in wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms for a versatile finish. Product. and a constant selection so you can continue painting from room to room.
Matte paint is a good choice for walls because it diffuses light and makes it easier to live with a shinier finish on a large area. As a follow-up, consider applying a matte paint to the ceiling and walls to create a relaxing cocoon of color.
You can vary the gloss level of your paintings to give each room a little more attention and to match the required durability. Colors with a higher sheen are generally easier to clean, such as: B. semi-gloss water-based enamel from Resene Lustacryl. Using a lighter color on the trim increases resistance to wear and makes it easier to remove inevitable fingerprints.
The floors also deserve attention
Old, stained floors can easily be refreshed with new stains or stain removers from the Resene Colorwood We Speak Beach collection, which add a gentle pop of color and soften the appearance of your floor.
If your floor is too stained, you can paint over it. Even the tiles! This can be a smart choice if you plan to change your tiles in the future but need a quick update in the meantime.
Wood stains are also very popular outdoors, with boards, fences, decks and furniture being popular options for a stained finish. Always be sure to clean the wood thoroughly with Resene Timber and Deck Wash first, as any stains on the wood will show through the newly stained surface.
When choosing a color, consider the light
Interior colors tend to appear darker than expected. So if you have several options to choose from, choose the lightest color. Opt for new lighting on the ceiling; For the walls, it's best to choose half or a quarter of the neutral color, as ceilings receive less light than walls. The same color on a wall appears darker on the ceiling.
Conveniently, the Resene Whites and Neutrals collection offers up to six intensity variations of the most popular colors, allowing you to choose lighter versions for your roof.
The opposite is the case outdoors. When the sun is shining, the colors will be brighter than expected. Therefore, if in doubt, choose the darker color.
Another crucial factor in outdoor activities is the sun. You want to feel comfortable and protect your paintwork in the hot summer months. Dark exterior colors can get hot. So if you want to darken them, consider using a Resene CoolColor finish, which helps reflect more heat than regular paint to keep the color and surface cooler. It also helps to stay cool while walking barefoot on the patio in the scorching summer.
Wall inspiration
If your interior paint is in good condition but you want to change something up, a feature wall can be a good starting point to add an interesting accent to the room.
"When choosing an accent wall, look for one that will be the focal point of the room, ideally one that doesn't have too many windows," says Karen Warman, marketing manager at Resene. "Many decorators are now choosing to paint feature walls and paint their signature color on two adjacent walls instead of just one. »
You can find inspiration for your accent wall wherever you are: your favorite piece of art, a landscape, or a vacation. Upload a photo of your inspiration to Resene's online color palette generator and you'll get a color palette to work with.
Work from top to bottom
However, if your paint seems a little less wear-resistant, a new coat of paint is in order. "Work from the top down," says Warman. "First the ceilings, then the walls and finally the floor."
You can refresh most items in your home with paint, including laminate, melamine, and old furniture. If you have outdated laminate cabinets or old furniture that you like the shape of but not the color, you can easily refresh them with paint to give them a completely new look. Adding new handles and a new paint job to your cabinets will give you a completely new look with minimal effort and cost.
Warman says it's always helpful to plan colors first when repainting the entire interior. "A good place to start is to create two collections: one with pictures of decorated houses that you like, and another with pictures of decorated houses that you don't like." You'll soon notice patterns in what you like and what not, and you can use these as a guide for your color selection. When it's time to paint, check out Resene's MasterStroke , packed with how-to videos and expert tips to help you master your decorating projects.
And if you need help choosing the right colors or products for your home, as well as anything else you need for painting and decorating, visit your local Resene ColorShop or use the free online expert inquiry service.
Article created in collaboration with Resene .
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