Common Mistakes People Make When Painting Their Homes
Interior designers are industry professionals that make indoor spaces functional, safe, and beautiful. They use their expertise in determining space requirements and selecting essential and decorative items, such as colors, lighting, and materials.
However, thanks to streaming platforms like Youtube, we all think even sometimes complex tasks like color matching are as simple as watching a video and buying some paint. We forget the many steps, presume we can complete the project overnight, and sometimes make a mess even before we start.
To help you avoid some basic errors that could prove to be costly, PFNY Designs has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when painting their homes.
1. Choosing the wrong colors
The science of color is called colorimetry. It is an exhaustive study. However, in relation to interior design, color tones are fundamentally important. I often see clients choosing the wrong color tone for their home, causing their interiors to clash. Many people will see the wisdom of repainting in the correct shade as acquiring new interiors is much more expensive. Nevertheless, people often prefer to leave the paint as it is even though their space looks unattractive and unprofessional.
2. Not hiring a designer for a color consult
Most people do not know they can hire a designer for a color consult and, as a result, do not use the vast expertise and knowledge interior design professionals bring to the table. At PFNY Designs, I offer color consultations as a stand-alone service, so even if you plan to paint your home or office yourself, you choose the right tones and get it right the first time.
3. Putting a new color on top of an existing color without consideration
If you think back to art class, you might remember the color wheel. The wheel works on the principle that one color over another lends to a new color. The mistake people often make is that they don’t know the paint they plan on using when layered on top of the existing color, creates a shade that looks unattractive, if not downright ugly.
4. Think white paint is all the same
White and grey shades of paint are often a great choice. Nevertheless, people often wrongly presume there is just one shade when in reality, there are thousands of shades that each has its effect and defining characteristics. The thing is, unless they choose the services of a professional interior designer, there are simply too many variations of colors to choose from, an issue that leads to choosing a basic shade when that sometimes doesn’t match.
5. Attempting DIY paint jobs
Finally, the mistake I see the most often in my career is people listening to misleading information now readily available on Youtube, claiming to show you how to transform your space with a coat of paint overnight. These supposed instructions often tend to be oversimplified, inaccurate, and insufficient, leading to painting disasters that end up costing way more to repair and rectify.
To avoid these and other mistakes, reach out to the experts at PFNY Designs. We offer full-service interior design, bathroom design, kitchen design, home interior design, cabinet design, as well as custom woodwork with our partnership with Harrison Custom Woodworking. We serve clients across North Providence, Newport, Narragansett, Wakefield, North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Warwick, Westerly, Jamestown, Middletown, Rhode Island, Westport, Boston, Marion, Milton, West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and the surrounding areas.
For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about interior design, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.