From the Resene decorating blog
So you have a nice, free weekend ahead of you and you want to make it count, ticking off some of those home renovation jobs or interior design ideas on your to-do list.
Some time spent masking can make for high impact results. Paper lantern bottoms painted in Resene Sweet Corn, upper wall in Resene Eagle lower wall in Resene Waiouru, floor in Resene Colorwood Mid Greywash, skirting board in Resene Ottoman, planters in Resene Cut Glass, round rattan cushion tops in Resene Eagle and shoes in Resene Waiouru. Pouf from Nood, rug from The Ivy House, lanterns from Trade Aid, teapot from Everyday Needs, artwork by Rakai Karaitiana from endemicworld, mugs and Wabi Sabi book from An Astute Assembly. Project by Kate Alexander, image by Bryce Carleton.
Here are some tips for making sure you use your weekend time efficiently to get maximum results.
Before you get to your weekend working bee, make sure you have spent some time coming up with a plan, as well as a clear vision of what you're working towards.
That will include choosing your colour palette, but also checking what products and tools you might need whether it’s sandpaper, primer or other surface preparation products, a hammer, or cleaning products. The experts at your local Resene ColorShop will be able to talk you through what you need for your specific project.
Make sure everything is to hand, so you’re not back and forth to the store every half an hour. If your project is a group effort, make sure everybody involved knows what your desired outcome is, so you’re all working toward the same thing.
You’ll also want to have tested your preferred colours out using Resene testpots before you start your project, particularly if it involves painting walls or a main feature in a room. Try two coats of your preferred colours on large A2 cards leaving a white border of about 2cm.
This means you can easily check your colours in different parts of the room at different times of the day, and in different lights. The white border helps you see the true paint colour, without it merging into your existing wall colour.
Top tip: If you’re committed to one particular shade, you might want to try it in different strengths, such as eighth, quarter, half, double or triple if it’s too dark, too dominant or is not making the impact you were hoping for. The Resene Whites & Neutrals collection has up to six strength variations of the most popular colours so it is easy to pick a mix of colour strengths.
It’s also a good idea to make sure you have enough paint for your room or project before you start. As a rough guide a litre of paint should cover about 12sq m in one coat. Measure the length and height/width of your wall, ceiling, floor or other project, and multiply the two figures to work out your square metres. Divide that number by 12 to work out how many litres you’ll need, then double it to allow for two coats.
Having a clear workspace is really important to getting the maximum amount of work done when you have a fixed period of time. This is particularly true if you’re trying to redecorate a room in a weekend.
Declutter your room and, if possible, move everything out in advance. Not only will it make it much easier to paint or wallpaper, but it also means there’s much less likelihood of tripping over things and knocking over trays or cans of paint.
Removing clutter from your space also helps you get a real sense of how the finished colour scheme, your upcycled piece of furniture or beautiful home-designed mural is going to look.
Trying out Resene testpots can help give you the confidence to experiment with unexpected colour combinations for a dramatic makeover in a short space of time.
Upper wall painted in Resene Cashmere with the curved lower design in Resene Nocturnal over two coats of Resene FX Magnetic Magic. Desk, shelves, coat rack and light fitting in Resene Nocturnal, pencil cup and desk file in Resene Cashmere. Rubbish bin in Resene Sepia, painted books in Resene Zeus and Resene Double Cod Grey, cork tealight holder in Resene Rebel, decorative vases and bowls in Resene Sepia, Resene Rebel, Resene Zeus, Resene Double Cod Grey, Resene Swiss Coffee and Resene Triple Rice Cake. Chair from Mood Store, rug from Freedom. Project by Laura Lynn Johnston, image Wendy Fenwick.
A burst of colour at your front door is a fast and simple look to achieve with maximum impact.
Bright orange door painted in Resene Hyperactive against weatherboards in Resene Merino, deck in Resene Woodsman Natural, plant pot in Resene Kaitoke Green, bench in Resene All Black and stripes of the zebra doormat painted in Resene Hyperactive and Resene All Black. Plant and doormat from Mitre 10, light from Lighting Plus. Project by Sarah Kolver and Emma Rawson, image by Bryce Carleton.
One job to complete before tackling a weekend of painting a room is to do a once-over for any maintenance or repair work that needs doing. It might be looking for any bumps or dents in walls that will need filling – a bright hand-held light is good for this – as well as picture hook holes and broken window latches or loose hinges.
On an upcycled furniture project it could be loose fixtures and fittings like handles, broken drawer pulls or loose timber joints and cracks. Taking care of all these things in advance, helps ensure you’re working efficiently when you’re trying to get projects completed quickly.
When it comes to painting efficiently to get the maximum done in a fixed amount of time, there are a few steps you can take to set yourself up for success.
Masking might seem like a time-consuming hassle but it can prevent you from spending time on tidying up edges and removing paint overlaps, particularly if you’re a beginner.
And don’t be tempted to overload your roller or brush in the hope of covering more area quickly. You’ll just spend your time trying to even it out and get a smooth, streak-free finish. Try painting in a “W” shape with your roller rather than straight up and down as it will be easier to blend edges between strokes.
Top tip: Instead of getting up and down a ladder and having to move it every few minutes, get yourself a long handled paint roller.
Paint your front door, garage door or mailbox for instant street appeal and impact. Embrace the trend for bold exterior accents on features like doors. You could try high impact aqua in Resene Blue Lagoon, or subtle but dramatic burgundy in Resene Cab Sav.
Freshen up your window trims. Crisp Resene Black White or creamy Resene Half Bianca are popular shades for highlighting your windows. But you could try something different with a soft pastel option that complements your interior like muted blue-grey Resene Hermitage against walls in deep green Resene Cabbage Pont.
Paint your ceiling or floor and consider a non-neutral colour. Pastels with subtle peachy pink shades like Resene Half Pot Pourri or Resene Soothe add a fresh modern touch.
Upcycle a piece of furniture. Try adding sections of a bold wallpaper to drawer fronts or the inside rear of a bookcase for an eclectic, personality filled finish. After sanding, experiment with unexpected wood stain finishes like Resene Colorwood Red Pepper or Resene Colorwood Apollo Blue.
Add a feature wall with paint or wallpaper
Repaint your kitchen cupboard
Design and hang a gallery wall
Add a painted console table or cupboard to your foyer
Try your hand at a painted mural or art canvas with Resene Testpots
Add wooden battens or faux panelling to a wall for added interest and texture
If you plan well, you can easily get a feature wall painted in an afternoon and a full room in a day, still leaving you plenty of weekend time left.
June 30, 2022
Visit your local Resene ColorShop for expert advice and all the products and accessories you need to make the most of your home.
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