Do Color Right! Top mistakes to avoid.

Design professionals can't make mistakes in selecting colors.  The impact of a poorly chosen color scheme or patterns is costly and frustrating. When you're looking for ideas on what to do for your home, keep these tips in mind: 

1. Don't go on instinct. 

Test all colors in the room in which it will be used with its existing lighting conditions and surfaces (floors, counters, cabinetry).   Keep in mind that testing a color in an empty room will not be that useful. You should  have an idea of which furniture/fabrics are going into the room first. Choosing color without inspiration makes decisions difficult.  Once you select fabrics and surface materials,  your color options for walls are limitless. Going the other way is difficult and frustrating.

2. Keep options simple rather than go overboard.  

There are many 'overdone' walls and rooms - kitchen and baths in particular - with glaring colors and surfaces that leave their owners gasping in dismay.  Rather than add a flashy glass mosaic to an older bathroom, keeping the elements simpler and colors appropriate for the period or style of the home, will be more enduring.

3. When soliciting professional advice, use it.
Designers and colorists know the correct color(s) that will work with your interior or exterior.  An understanding of undertones is key to specifying the right color, and working with fixed and/or furnished elements often matter more than a color you "just love".  

4. Know which element is the most important and which to ignore.   Every interior is different and requires a custom solution.  Ignoring standout pieces and selecting colors that fit just some of your furnishings or surfaces would be a mistake. Knowing how to mitigate fixed colors  (floor tile, architectural elements and even a view) is of utmost importance in ending up with a satisfying result. 




5. Don't follow trends for your exterior.  
Painting your house the current 'hot' neutral will disappoint you when trends change. Instead, look at the era of your home, the architectural style, how your interior fits those elements, and use color choices that works all around. 


Take a look at our other color related posts at www.designfromca.blogspot.com

Fall touch ups!

If you live in San Diego, you can take advantage of TOT-Home and have us TOUCH UP your home for fall.  
Our E-ZIGN service is ideal for those of you who have time to do leg-work but not to conceptualize and design.  For all of you DIY'ers out there, here are some of our most popular updates for fall. Not only do you get a great new home for the long-term, you can show off your home to family and friends just in time for the holidays.

Plants, cladding stucco with stone, and adding
light creates a welcoming attractive exterior.

1) Freshen up your exterior. That can mean a quick power-wash, some new plants, or a simple front door color update. We love to change container plantings since they can be done at nearly every front door. No entry? A cool wreath will give you a new look.  

A new surround and accessories dress up
a 1980's fireplace. 

2) Update your fireplace. Clean, paint, or re-cover dated material. If you love what you have, add a mantle, a surround, or add some accessories.  A large-scale planter or urn filled with a real or dried arrangement is fresh and natural. Add lights during the holidays for a festive look.

Paint, a shelf and some colorful
accessories are practical and beautiful.

3) Dress up the entry.  Even if you have a small space, a welcoming entry is a must. We recommend narrow entry tables, small benches, area rugs (great for wet and muddy feet), mirrors and lighting.  Not much space? A fold down shelf works well. 

A corner with accent stripes is all that was
needed in this living room.

4) Paint.  Yes we know it's time consuming to do a whole room, but it's the ideal way to completely change the look and feel of a space.  Even one accent wall or the addition of stripes will create a new space.

Lighting added under cabinets, in architectural elements and
behind plants create an easy to do, layered lighting plan.

5)  Add light. As darkness comes earlier and seems to go on forever...add energy saving LED lighting.  We love string lights, hidden rope lights, picture lights, and wall sconces.  Put them on in-wall or plug in timers for a low-cost, no-work solution. 

How to select exterior paint colors.

1. Keep History in Mind. If you own a home with a definable architectural style like Victorian, Cape Cod, Craftsman, etc., pay attention to colors in that genre.  Using a designer helps to identify the period and how to select colors to treat each element on the house. At Touch of Tradition, we specialize in period color selections so don't hesitate to contact us with questions.

   

   Sea Pine & Antique White - Trim Horizon Gray - Body of houseAutumn Brown - Accent Trim Benjamin Moore

   2. Consider the neighbors.  What works in your neighborhood?  Think of your neighborhood as fabric, and your house as one thread in that fabric.  Will the colors you are leaning towards fit with the overall feel of the neighborhood? Can you be unique without being an eyesore?

   3. Structural Harmony with Rest of the House  Consider your house's whole. What color is your roof? Is it slate, aluminum, copper, cedar shakes? You don't need to match your paint to your shingles but all colors should fit together. Consider the landscaping and natural elements around the house to suggest color families that will guide your exterior paint choices.

   4. The Inside Affects the Outside  Don't be afraid to pull the colors for your home from an inspiration piece or those colors used inside your home. It adds a sense of harmony and integrity in design. When you enter the home, the exterior serves to guide you as to the style and the feel.

   5. White is The Color of Tradition  White is classic and traditional with stately appeal. With the right complementary touches--eaves, window casing, door trim, etc.--white can be a fantastic exterior paint color option.  Here, this contemporary interpretation of a Mission style home is set off from the greenery and expansive skyline with an all-white stucco finish.

   6. Details Should be Darker.   Darker colors are great for drawing the eye to architectural details you don't want to be missed. If you have an archway or trim, or any particular feature you want highlighted, draw attention with darker colors. They're a great choice for recessed panels. If you have features that protrude from the wall surface, highlight those with lighter colors as they will stand out more against the darker shade. The bold colors in the stucco below, required deep trim and door colors to have their details stand out.

   

   
   

   7. Consider the Number of Colors  On some style homes you will see as many as 8-10 different colors but requires the keen eye of a professional designer to make this work. The number of colors used depends on the simplicity or complexity of your home and the scale, architecture and elements. Adding too many colors to a home can make the home look garish. Look for homes with similar architecture and see what others have successfully done.

   8. Take Advantage of Color Tools  Pick up a color wheel or fan deck. Most paint stores have samples that you can bring home to make decisions. Most professional shops have pint-size samplers available that you can take home and test on your exterior.  Exterior paint colors do look different in person than they do printed on samples and the paint will take on a different hue depending upon the time of day.

Most common paint problems - and solutions.

If you are a do-it yourself painter, you may come across one of these paint problems -especially on exterior surfaces - and need to understand why it happened and how to deal with it.  

1) Alligatoring - Patterned crackling that looks like alligator skin. It means that the top coat of paint didn't bond to a smooth finish most often caused by applying a top coat over a primer or existing paint that was not the same (oil over latex) or that was still wet. If you apply too much paint per coat, this can happen. Natural aging in  extreme climates will also cause this to happen. You MUST scrape or sand to the base surface to overcome the problem. Once the surface is clean and dust-free use a primer and then paint that are meant to work together.


2) Blistering - Lifting of paint from surface in bubbles. Most often caused by painting in sunlight or on a surface that is too hot. Fresh paint exposed to moisture will also blister, as will paint on moist walls (showers, kitchens, laundry). First determine how it occurred  (a)if only the newest paint coat is blistered, it was caused by heat or (b)  if many layers of paint are affected and the base surface shows through than it was caused by moisture. For heat blisters, scrape or sand to the next coat or primer. Re-paint and be sure the surface does not get hot. For moisture blisters, scrape to the base surface, prime and then paint. Resolve the issue by adding ventilation fans and/or caulking appropriately.


3) Chalking- Formation of a fine powder on the surface of paint. All paints do chalk somewhat but severe chalking is caused by low quality paint, over thinning paint or spreading it too thin and not sealing or priming a porous surface.  To repair the problem you need to remove chalk by pressure washing or hand scrubbing. A wire brush or sanding may be needed in some cases. Once clean, if there is no more chalking, and the paint is in good shape, you can paint over it. If moderate chalk remains you should use a penetrating additive to the first coat of water-based paint to help it bond to the surface. If a lot of chalk remains, use an alkyd-based primer and then a high quality top coat.


4) Cracking and flaking - Hairline cracks and paint chips falling from the surface. Generally caused by thinning of paint or spreading it too thin. Unprimed wood surfaces crack easily. If you have painted in windy conditions, the paint may have dried to fast and not bonded to the surface, causing cracks. When painting over many layers of paint, cracking can occur when the older, lower layers lose flexibility and give out with temperature changes. For surface cracks, scrape, sand and re-paint. When cracking is down to the base surface you need to remove all paint and re-prime before using a high quality paint.





5) Peeling - loss of adhesion to the base surface. On wood surfaces, this occurs when wet wood expands and contracts causing the paint to roll at the edges. On metal surfaces it is likely improper surface prep and failure to prime or sand. For wood, you should determine the cause of moisture (water running down from a leaky roof,  ground moisture from irrigation or seeping up, too much exposure to moist air)and repair before repainting.  Scraping or sanding the loose paint is first, letting the surface dry thoroughly, then using a primer made for that surface. Use a high quality latex paint in two coats, to cover the primed surface.


6) Poor hiding - you can see the underlying surface through your paint. Generally caused by over thinning or overspreading paint, using a low quality paint, and not using poor quality rollers and brushes that don't apply paint well.  By using another coat of un-thinned paint, you can resolve this.  A roller with the correct nap for the surface will help the paint flow on smoothly.




7) Mildew - mold growing on the paint surface. Causes can be failure to prime bare wood surfaces, painting over existing mold, or excessive humidity and moisture problems. Ventilation fans and dehumidifiers can help resolve interior moisture issues. To be sure its a mildew problem, apply a few drops of bleach to the surface. If it bleaches out..it is likely mildew since stains and dirt will not be affected. Clean the surface with a mildew remover or a mixture of 1 quart liquid bleach + 3 quarts warm water + 1/4 c ammonia free liquid dishwasher detergent. Rinse thoroughly. Allow the surface to dry and prime and then paint. You can purchase paints with mildecides or add one to the primer coat if desired. 


8) Efflorescence - White deposits on masonry surfaces. The cause is often failure to remove previous salt deposits and painting before masonry (stucco, concrete, etc..) is fully cured. Removing the efflorescence with a stiff brush or power washer is first. Wash the surface with one part phosphoric acid + seven parts of water adding the ACID TO THE WATER.  Rinse and allow to dry, repeating until all efflorescence is gone. Seal the surface with a primer designed to hold back efflorescence and paint with a high quality acrylic finish.