Painting

There are so many ways to design a kitchen. At Kitchen Tune-Up, we’ve got a comprehensive catalog practically bursting with colors for every occasion and materials for every look you could possibly want to create. But all that choice can be a bit much if you don’t know where to start.

That’s where mood boards can come in and help! By assembling your general feelings, you can help better communicate the look you’re going for. For example, what we’ve got here is a very neutral mood board. Lots of off-white and beige colors, even the cabinet is very understated. 

Kitchen color trends

It’s hard to nail down “the” kitchen color trend of the moment, because there are so many going around, but one of those is something known as greige. Adding grey undertones to lighter colors like beige, green or blue has always been a popular way to add some sophistication to any kitchen. These colors are able to retain a sharp, clean vibe while still looking pleasant and liveable.

Minimalism

So why are neutral kitchen tones so popular? It’s for a couple of reasons. They’re easier to maintain, and they bring an air of traditionality to any kitchen. But the biggest reason why neutral tones like these keep cropping up in the latest kitchen trends is because of their versatility. Pair any accent feature you want with the look from this mood board and it’s going to mix really well.

A bright splash of color on a kitchen island or even some flashier cabinet handles can really shine against a background like this. A neutral starting point lets you decorate using minimal accents to get your aesthetic point across.

If you’d like to see for yourself how well small details shine against a neutral-themed kitchen, take a glance at our handy design tool. Go ahead and plug in any combination you can think of!

Not sold on beige and grey? There’s a lot more kitchen design inspiration out there if you’re looking for it. Check out some of the other mood boards we’ve created, or you can head to the Kitchen Tune-Up project gallery to see some of the work we’ve done firsthand!

When it’s time to give your kitchen a refresh, you have more options today than ever before. At Kitchen Tune-Up, we’ve got a comprehensive catalog bursting with colors for every occasion and materials for every look you could possibly want to create. But all that choice can be overwhelming if you haven’t narrowed down your options first.

A mood board can be a helpful tool in getting your general feelings wrangled before you commit to specific materials. This board encapsulates the simplicity of traditional wooden kitchen cabinetry along with a neutral palette and light colors.

A welcoming look

Wood offers a rustic, welcoming look to any room. Especially dark wood like this that, although treated, still appears very natural. Many modern kitchen designs strive for this level of connection to nature. Wood brings a lightness to most kitchens and when combined with a pale color palette like this, can make many rooms seem larger and more open.

The colors at play here are also very natural. While brightly colored cabinetry has been becoming more popular lately (think bright blues and deep hunter greens), there is still a strong trend towards neutral tones like the ones on this mood board.

Designing for contrast

Wood is incredibly versatile. It fits with a lot of aesthetics almost effortlessly. While the initial thought is that wood brings with it an older, more traditional vibe, you’d be surprised how nicely wood features can pair with a splash of matte black or a gunmetal faucet.

Want to see for yourself how well wood pairs with modern kitchen elements? Take a swing with our handy design tool. Go ahead and plug in any combination you can think of!

If you’re looking for more inspiration, you can check out some of the other mood boards we’ve created, or you can head to the Kitchen Tune-Up project gallery to see some of the work we’ve done firsthand!

Creating your new kitchen is a journey, and we want to make sure you get the look and feel that best suits your home. If you have your own mood boards that show off the look you’ve been dreaming of, then we’d love to have you share them with us!

Unlike interior colors, exterior hues can affect the entire street and that puts a lot of pressure on homeowners when it comes to choosing a palette. In addition, a number of factors come into play that you don't have to deal with on the inside of a house:  landscaping, hardscaping, roofing and more.

These are the three easy tips that I use every day to help my clients choosing a color scheme that works both for their style and for their home's surroundings.

1. Plan around the elements that are hardest to change. Surfaces such as roof tiles, stonework, pathways and driveways will remain in place. Take these into consideration and consider paint colors that will tie these fixed elements together in a harmonious way.

2. Think about the visual effect you want. Keep in mind the surroundings of your home, the street and the landscape play a role around it. You might choose a slightly lighter or brighter color so that it stands out or you can choose a darker hue that can make it appear to recede.

3. Choose three or more different paint shades. An exterior scheme has three major parts: walls color, which dominates; trim color, used for fascia board, bands, windows and door casings. Accent color, which brings doors, shutters and other smaller areas to life; and ideally, the trim color should contrast strongly with the walls color.

If your main color is dark, consider classic white trim or another pale shade. A light walls color can look stunning with darker trim like eyeliner for your home, it produces a crisp, dramatic effect. Feel free to go bold with accent colors, but don't go overboard.

4. Never rely on paint chips alone. Just like interior colors, exterior shades can vary significantly from the way they appear on the chip. And because painting an exterior is a bigger undertaking than simply painting a room, you'll want to get them right the first time.

Julio Catano.
Masterpiece Painting Contractors, Inc.

If you are thinking on having the interior of your home painted selecting a wall color could be frustrating. Some people paint several sheets of paper or sample boards and hangs them on the wall to compare colors. It looks artistic and fun, but it may not be the most accurate way to vet wall paint.

Here I recommend you five tips to test paint colors before starting with your painting project.

1. Paint Directly on the Wall

This is true for interiors as well as exteriors: You’ll get the best sense of how the color will really look if you paint it directly on the wall. “If a board is used, it just doesn’t saturate the same way. The problem with using boards: “The texture is really not representative. It’s not the same as what’s on your wall, and that can really affect the look,”

Painting your choices side by side on the wall to see the differences. For some, this can be overwhelming to the eye; if that’s you, make it easier by leaving some space between the samples. Also, keep in mind that the existing color of the wall will affect how the paint reads. Colors will appear darker against a light backdrop and lighter against a dark backdrop. I recommend you to paint with white color the area where the testing colors will be applied to create a canvas that allow you to see the real colors that you are testing.

2. Paint Two Coats

That’s the amount of coverage you’ll typically need on any wall. The second coat usually makes a big difference in the way the paint reads. Also, paint large swaths — at least 1 foot by 1 foot, and even larger is better. The 2-inch swatches won’t give you a good sense.

3. For Certain Rich Colors, Use a Primer

A small selection of deep paint colors can be created only in conjunction with specific primers. The paint deck will show which colors are in this category.

4. Paint Multiple Walls

The colors you’re testing will read differently depending on the amount of light that hits them. “We recommend you paint on a wall that doesn’t get direct sunlight and one that does.”

Also, landscaping, outside a window can color the light streaming through it and change how a paint looks on the wall as well.

As you view the colors, make sure you consider what time of day you’ll most often be in the room. You want to like how the color looks at that time.

5. Place Lighting Before You Test

It’s simple, but true: It’s better to use the lighting that fits your needs than try to select your lighting to complement your paint colors. “You wouldn’t want to pick a lightbulb that looks good with your paint color, but you can’t read in the room.”

Here, the overhead lighting is casting a yellow glow throughout the room, warming the color of the off-white paint toward a pale shade of honey.

Make sure your lighting is in place as you’re considering colors. They may look quite different in bright bulbs or softer yellow hued ones. Having the right fixtures and bulbs in place can help you decide which shades will work for you.

If you’re not yet sure what lighting you prefer, you can use the time examining your samples to experiment. “Even changing out lightbulbs is a good thing to do,”

Before you start with your decorating project I recommend you to read my article 10 rules for your painting project. It will help you to make your painting project look flawless and balanced.

Julio Catano
Masterpiece Painting Contractors, Inc.

As You Like It Painting Company, Inc. has always operated under strong values aimed at exceeding client needs. Our communication channels are always open—our relationship with our clients begins on the first day of contact and only ends once they’re fully satisfied with our work. When you hire our services, you can count on us for the results you want and need. Get in touch today, and discover the advantage of working with As You Like It Painting Company, Inc.

Here are a few tips to make your painting projects go smoother and faster while giving you a professional-looking finish that you'll be proud of. You'll also find ingenious tips that can cut your cleanup time in half and extend the life of your paint brushes.

1. Lap marks are those ugly stripes caused by uneven layers of paint buildup. They occur when you roll over paint that’s already partly dry. The key to avoiding lap marks is to maintain a “wet edge,” so each stroke of your roller overlaps the previous stroke before the paint can begin to dry.

To maintain a wet edge, start near a corner and run the roller up and down the full height of the wall, moving over slightly with each stroke. Move backward where necessary to even out thick spots or runs. Don’t let the roller become nearly dry; reload it often so that it’s always at least half loaded. Keep the open side of the roller frame facing the area that’s already painted. That puts less pressure on the open side of the roller, so you’re less likely to leave paint ridge.

2. Paint color may vary slightly from one can to the next. If you have to open a new can in the middle of a wall, the difference may be noticeable. Mixing the paints together eliminates the problem. It’s best to estimate the amount of paint you’ll need and mix it.

When coverage is difficult to estimate, add more rather than less. You can always pour the leftover back into cans. For large jobs, use the bucket and a roller screen rather than a roller tray. It’s much faster to load your roller with the screen than to use a roller pan. Simply dunk the roller into the paint bucket, then roll it along the screen until it stops dripping.

3. Once paint is dry, you can’t just pull the tape off the trim. Paint forms a film between the wall and the tape, and removing the tape tears pieces of dried paint off the wall. So before pulling off the tape, cut it loose.

Wait for the paint to completely dry, at least 24 hours, then use a sharp utility knife or box cutter knife to slice through the film. Start in an inconspicuous area to make sure the paint is hard enough to slice cleanly. If you cut the paint while it’s still gummy, you’ll make a mess. As you cut the paint, pull up the tape at a 45-degree angle.

4. Pros usually follow a certain order when painting a room. They paint the trim first, then the ceiling, then the walls. That’s because it’s easier and faster to tape off the trim than to tape off the walls.

When painting the trim, you don’t have to be neat. Just concentrate on getting a smooth finish on the wood. Don’t worry if the trim paint gets onto the walls. You’ll cover it later when painting the walls. Once the trim is completely painted and dry (at least 24 hours), tape it off, then paint the ceiling, then the walls.

5. If you paint over dirty, oily surfaces, the paint will easily chip or peel off. So before painting, clean grimy areas with a deglosser or heavy-duty cleaner intended for prepaint cleaning. They work well to clean painted, varnished or enameled surfaces to improve the adhesion of the new paint. They’re ideal for cleaning greasy or oily areas like kitchen and bathroom walls and removing hand marks around light switches and doorknobs.

Wipe on the cleaner in a circular motion using a lint-free cloth or abrasive pad. Start at the bottom and work up. After the surface is clean, fill in any nicks and holes, then sand them smooth before painting. The cleaners are available at paint stores and home centers. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection.

6. Corners and areas next to trim that are painted only with a brush have a notice- ably different texture than the surrounding paint. To ensure the finished texture will be consistent in these areas, brush on the paint, then immediately roll it out before the paint dries.

7. Spills and spatters happen, regardless of how careful you are. It’s a lot easier to pre- pare for them than to wipe them out of your carpeting or off your wood floor later. All it takes is canvas drop cloths in your work area. The thick canvas stays in place, so you don’t need to tape it, and you can use it to cover any surface. Plastic drop cloths are slippery to walk on or set a ladder on and don’t stay in place. Even worse, paint spills on plastic stay wet, and they can end up on your shoes and get tracked through the house. Canvas is slippery on hard floors, so rosin paper is better over vinyl, tile and hard- wood. Tape the sheets together and to the floor to provide a nonslip surface.

But even with canvas or rosin-paper drop cloths, large spills still need to get wiped up right away or they’ll seep through. Clean spills with paper towels or cloth rags. Likewise, if you splatter paint on any other surface, wipe it up immediately.