How to Paint Your Apartment
Changing dull beige walls to a serene pale yellow or splashing a fresh coat of shimmering white paint on an over killed red room can magically transform your apartment. It is tempting to want to paint every room once the idea crosses your mind but always check with your landlord first. You may have to repaint before you leave or risk losing your security deposit. If you have a painting plan that will improve the apartment for future renters, however, or if you are planning on staying for more than year, talk to your landlord and discuss your plans. Most landlords will not be opposed to your efforts to make their property more appealing.
Painting a room or an entire apartment in that case, is a major undertaking. Making the job look professional may be more difficult than you think. Before beginning your project read over Apartments.com’s guide to a successful painting project. And remember, colors like plum-tastic purple and guava-green often look better on sample strips than they do sprawled all over your walls. Choose those colors carefully!
The Paint
You can choose either latex- or oil-based paint. Latex is easier to work with and can be cleaned up with soap and water. Oil-based paint requires turpentine for clean-up, but is stain-resistant and works well in kitchens and bathrooms.
Then you need to choose your finish:
A flat finish doesn’t reflect light so it’s best for large surfaces.
Satin finish paints will brighten up hallways, play areas, children’s and guests’ rooms and casual living spaces. It softens bright colors but still allows the color to shine through.
A semi-gloss finish is the easiest to clean and so it is the best choice for kitchens and bathrooms.
Use a gloss finish sparingly or risk wearing sunglasses indoors. Gloss paint reflects light and is good for trim or small spaces.
Check out our article on color and mood, Decorating with Color, to help determine what affect your choice of color will have on your roommate’s attitude. In general, however, these are the color-choice basics:
When creating your color scheme, choose one color as a predominant color and add complimentary accent colors.
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