T he first order of the day for a new homeowner is seldom the fancy, cool things like choosing the most comfortable sofa for your living room, or matching the tiles in the kitchen. No, it’s the foundational groundwork – getting the paint onto the bare walls of your home.
A bad paint job is what you’ll see on your walls for the next few years so, in order to ensure you get the best paint options; here are some helpful tips to keep in mind when you go paint shopping!
GLOSSY OR MATTE
Paint finishes come in three general categories: flat (or matte), low-lustre (eggshell and satin) and gloss (or semi gloss).
Flat (or Matte)
If you want a saturated, velvety wall, opt for a matte finish. Flat paint will also absorb light and make them less noticeable if your wall has imperfections like uneven texture, patches or joints. However, flat finishes are not very durable and need to be carefully cleaned. Scrubbing flat paint could wear down the finish and cause sheen to appear in patchy spots. Ceilings and walls that are not touched very often (and so, need less cleaning) are your best bets for matte paint.
Low-Lustre (Eggshell and Satin)
Many consider eggshell or satin finishes for the best compromise between pigment (intensity of the colour) and coverage. These finishes look matte from straight on, but viewed at an angle, they have a subtle sheen. This makes them longer-lasting, but the sheen does show imperfections, especially if your room gets direct sun, so prepping the wall and using a good primer is still necessary. The best places to use low-lustre paints will be the living room, the bedroom, and the dining room. With the interplay of sunlight and plants, the balcony can be transformed into a cozy nook.
Gloss (or Semi Gloss)
Gloss/Semi gloss is the most durable finish as it holds up well in humidity and is easy to clean, but it does reflect light, highlighting any and all minor flaws. In order for it to look smooth and even, the surface must be perfectly prepped and the paint applied very carefully to avoid streaky, uneven sheen. Bathrooms, kitchens, and doors are the best place to use glossy paint.
DARK OR LIGHT COLOURS?
It goes without saying that light or dark colours really depends on your interior design colour scheme. That said, before you plan your colour scheme, keep in mind that certain rooms in your home needs to be painted in lighter shades, and some rooms can go rogue.
Light shades make the space in your room look bigger than it really is, and dark shades can be used to emphasise walls.
All-white is a minimalist favourite; with enough light, the look is clean, luminous and expansive. In the kitchen, it hints at culinary mastery and complements shining new stainless appliances as well as hand-cut clay tile floors. Lots of natural light, paired with a well-designed, adaptable lighting system, ensures that white walls achieve their design potential in your rooms.
Light and dark hues can create an enchanting hallway. A long hallway with lighter walls and a deep tone on the end wall feels more spacious; the pale walls stand guard like silent angels and the dark colour recedes, signalling the end of a long corridor. Put an ornate mirror or a painting on that dark wall to punctuate the space. In a room, an intense wall commands attention, so use colour to designate the focal point. Lighter paint merges edges; the ugly protruding wall, painted the same white as its wall, loses its detail and is less obvious. A high-ceilinged room with a deep colour on the ceiling directs the eye to the walls and furnishings, closing in the space to lend the room a sense of intimacy.
Different hues have specific characteristics; Red is outstanding and high-energy, while pink is flattering and can be hot-pink glamourous or pale-blush comforting. Blue is cooling, soothing or decisive, depending on intensity. Yellow glows and is cheerful and warm, but too much can cast a sickly pallor on skin. Consider the inherent qualities of a colour, with an emphasis on its lightness or darkness, to accent special features of the room.
PRIME IT TO MAKE IT FLAWLESS
Priming before painting the wall is not always necessary. The point of a primer is to ensure that the actual paint you use on the walls later requires less layers of paint. However, there are some exceptions when you’ll definitely need to prime your wall for the best condition. The first exception is if you are repainting a dark coloured wall with a light coloured paint. In order for the new paint to perform well, the new paint must have a surface it can adhere to.
In order to save money and time, a primer like the Nippon Aqua Primer Sealer Undercoat will help as it provides an additional layer of paint and dries quickly. It also seals any cracks that may have developed in the wall.
Some stains, such as greasy spots or crayon scribbles, will show through new paint. Also, cigarette smoke and other strong odours may linger in your new home even after repainting. In order to truly block out the ghosts of these issues, the Nippon Paint 5101 Odour-less Water-Based Wall Sealer is recommended. Quick drying, odourless, and water-based, this sealer will forbid any liquid from seeping into the cracks in your wall.
All in all, choose the paint for your walls that will help you tell the story of your home. Paints are also multitasking now, and you can choose Nippon Mozzieguard range of paints if you are painting your bedrooms to prevent mosquito bites or Nippon Anti-Mould ceiling paint if you want to give the ceiling a fresh coat of paint.
Still Confused? Here’s a quick summary!
|
TRIMMINGS |
BATHROOMS |
BALCONY |
BEDROOM |
CEILING |
|
| GLOSS LEVEL | Matte | Gloss/semi-gloss | Eggshell / satin finish | Eggshell / satin finish | Matte |
| DARK OR LIGHT | Dark to highlight cornices. | Light colours so the bathrooms appear expansive. | Light colours to make the space appear bigger. With the interplay of sunlight and plants, the balcony can be transformed into a cozy nook. | Dark or light colours are appropriate, depending on the mood of your bedroom. | Dark to accent the ceiling if the rooms of your wall are light. |
| RECOMMENDED RANGE OF PAINTS | Nippon Paint Vinilex 5000 | Nippon Paint Odour-less Medifresh | Nippon Paint Odour-less Medifresh | Nippon Paint Mozzieguard | Nippon Paint Odour-less Anti-Mould Ceiling White |
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