After we get home from a long, tiring day at work, one of the first things we often want to do is take a seat on the living room couch. The living room is at the center of the average home’s entertainment efforts, but it’s also one of the best places to unwind. This is why many homeowners choose to upgrade it to a more relaxed and tranquil atmosphere for their homes. These are some of the top living room paint colors for relaxation so that you can do just that.
Violet
Violet makes a soothing addition to any room. This is because, with blue as its base, it can evoke feelings of calmness and bring harmony to the mind. However, for living rooms specifically, it’s important to mention that choosing a hue that’s too dark can mitigate these beneficial effects. So, you’ll want to use something a bit softer, such as lilac, to brighten up the room and maximize the calmness it brings.
Blush or Pink
Light pink, or blush, is also one of the top living room paint colors for relaxation because it establishes a slightly warmer atmosphere. Cool tones are great for making a room feel tranquil, but warm hues such as red, pink, and orange offer cozier vibes. As such, they’re still great for kicking back with a good book—they just also provide the room with a bit more energy.
Dark Gray
Dark gray is a good color to consider as well because it can dim some of the excess light in a room and create a feeling of warmth and relaxation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that this color, since it’s darker, has a lot more influence on the space as a whole. So, your walls be darker, and some of your décor will appear that way as well—making it crucial that you balance out the walls with lighter items.
Off-White
If you’d rather go lighter anyway, you could try using a neutral color such as off-white. This hue is highly reflective, and it can amplify the light in some dimly lit spaces. But, since it isn’t pure white, it won’t be overpowering to the eyes. This makes it a better option for people who want to mix other color schemes into this area.
At Bear Mountain Custom Painting, our mission is to provide you with all the resources you need to achieve the results you want for your home improvement project. Whether you’re looking to repaint your living room or any other area of the home, our professional house painters in Atlanta can help with all the details. So, all you need to worry about is your vision for the space.
Whether you paint your own home or hire a professional company to do it for you, the paint you choose is essential to completing this process successfully. However, despite this fact, many homeowners remain unaware of what exactly they’re putting on their walls—or how these products are even made to begin with. So, before you start weighing your options, make sure you take the time to gain an understanding of how home paint is made and how this can affect the environment within your home.
Primary Paint Ingredients
First and foremost, it’s important to discuss the different ingredients that go into particular paint products. These substances can influence everything from how the paint will dry on your walls to how many Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, will be released into the environment when it does. As such, knowing what some of these materials are can help you determine whether it’s something you feel comfortable using. These are the core components to any type of residential-grade paints:
Pigments
Pigments are a paint’s primary source of color and are comprised of several natural resources ground together into a fine powder. It’s this powder that’s later mixed into paint solutions to give them their unique hues. Some examples of this include titanium oxide, which creates white pigment, and carbon black, which produces black. When these pigments are mixed together in varying amounts, they can create any color across the spectrum. This is why it’s very easy to order custom-mixed paints that match your specific choice.
Solvents
Solvents, on the other hand, are the liquid carrier for the solid pigments to dissolve into. Depending on the type of paint you ultimately choose, this solution could consist primarily of water for latex paints, or turpentine for oil-based paints. These solvents will make it easier to spread paint over a surface and initiate the drying process. In fact, as paint dries, it’s the evaporated fumes from these materials that are released into the air surrounding your walls. This is why low VOC paints will typically opt for a water base over a turpentine one.
Additives
It’s important to consider the additives in your paint as well. These ingredients add additional effects to the paint, making it better suited for specific environments or giving it a specific type of finish. For this reason, there’s a lengthy list of options to choose from when custom mixing your own product to use at home. Certain additives can promote a faster drying process, strengthen the coat against frigid temperatures, and even inhibit mold growth in some cases. It all depends on the performance you want the paint to have.
Binders
Binders, or resins as they’re often known, then act as the glue that allows the finished paint product to stick and cure properly to a surface. Once mixed into the batch with the other ingredients, binders ensure that once the paint dries it won’t release its hold on the wall. Most common binders, such as acrylic emulsion polymers, are especially effective at sinking into porous materials. However, if you want to paint something like cement, different binders might need to be used to create the same result.
The Paint Mixing Process
Now that you know what roughly goes into your new paint, it’s time to officially talk about how home paint is actually made. Upon being ordered from your local department store, the order is sent to a paint plant where the mixing process will take place. While some stores are equipped to handle this process themselves, most find it more effective to have the order filled elsewhere. With most standard paints, the mixing goes as follows:
Making a Pigment Paste
First, a pigment paste is prepared using the proper amount of pigment powder to create the desired color. The powder is then combined with enough binder, solvent, and additive to give the solution a thick, glue-like texture. This mixture is the core of the paint product, but, in this state, it’s much too thick to spread reliably.
Mixing and Filtering the Paint Solution
Once all the necessary components are present, the batch is placed into an industrial sand mill to grind down and equally disperse the metal pigment powder. This machine is what fully mixes the ingredients together and creates a liquid with a consistent hue. Any remaining particles are then filtered out of the liquid.
Thinning the Product
The paint still isn’t ready to be used. Even with the chunks of pigment ether ground down or removed, the mixture is still much too thick to be evenly applied on a surface. This is why, the paint is then infused with even more solvent. The solvent will help further disperse the materials in the paint solution and eventually provide it with a thinner consistency. Though the amount of solvent being added to the paint will vary by paint type, overall, this step makes it much easier to apply in the home environment.
Canning and Selling
Then, finally, the product is canned, labeled, and shipped back to the store where you either buy it or pick it up. When canned, the product is given an air-tight seal to ensure it can’t dry while it’s waiting to be used. It’s also common for a bit of that batch to be smeared over a section of the lid and allowed to fully dry. This is to give you an idea of how the paint will look once it’s on your walls—which many homeowners find helpful for the first stages of the process.
Not all paint is made equal. This is why it’s crucial you know what’s going into your paint and how it’s created. So, to learn more about how paint products are mixed, or to gain expert advice on which type you should pick, give Bear Mountain Custom Painting a call. Our professional house painters in Cumming, GA are familiar with the paint manufacturing process and can help you pinpoint which mixture would have the largest impact on your home. Don’t let just any paint find a home on your walls—let us find the one that’s both stylish and healthy.
When it comes to your home’s front door, you may feel like it’s going to be around forever. However, the fact of the matter is that these components will break down just like the rest of the property. Eventually, whether you anticipate it or not, you’re going to need to replace your door. These are some factors to consider when selecting a new front door to ensure you’re making the correct purchase.
Climate
A front door’s primary job is to protect the interior of the home from external hazards and environmental conditions. As such, it’s only natural that you’d think about your region’s climate when trying to pick a new door. While some types of doors are heavily insulated to accommodate temperature, others are made of stronger, heavier materials to combat storm damage. So, finding a balance between the two will be the key to success.
Security
You also want to contemplate how much security you want from your door. Strength and stability are vital to keeping yourself and your belongings safe while inside the home. For this reason, you’ll typically want to purchase the most durable product you can find. Unfortunately, durability does tend to come with drawbacks in both appearance and price. While steel is considered the strongest door material, there’s less room for style customization, and they’ll often cost more out of pocket.
Energy Efficiency
Another crucial factor to consider when selecting a new front door is how resistant certain models are to drafts. As previously mentioned, your climate will affect how many drafts your home experiences over the years. Homes that are more prone to these occurrences will need to use heavier insulated doors to keep that air out and save money on energy. Generally, more insulation is better for this purpose, though it can also start to affect your number of style options.
Curb Appeal
You want to account for how your home will look with the new door as well. Curb appeal is important for attracting potential buyers during the selling phase or even keeping your property looking nice as a whole. Because of this, you’ll also want to pick something that complements your home’s current design and style.
Whether you need help choosing your next exterior door or want to have it professionally installed, Bear Mountain Custom Painting is ready to take your call. Our door installation experts in Cumming, GA work quickly and efficiently, ensuring your home is as protected and beautiful as possible.
There’s a lot of things to keep in mind when you’re deciding on new wall paint—such as what color it should be and what brand you should pick. However, one important thing people too often overlook is how they want the finished product to appear and perform. A paint’s finish dictates everything from how the paint will dry on the surface to how easy the surface is to clean. As such, not just any type of gloss or sheen will be successful in a home. Use these considerations when choosing an interior paint finish to ensure you pick the right product for you.
Amount of Natural Light
Lighting can affect the appearance of color within a space, and it’s crucial to note it can also change the effectiveness of a paint’s finish. High-gloss or shinier finishes will naturally reflect more light. Because of this, they tend to make a room appear brighter than you might want. Matte finishes, on the other hand, often absorb light, making rooms appear darker. Take some time to acknowledge how much light you currently get in the space and how bright you want it to be once you’ve painted it.
Average Room Traffic
The amount of traffic a room gets is also crucial to picking the right paint finish for that area. With more people walking through, there’s greater opportunity for the walls to get scuffed, nicked, and dirtied. These blemishes can be very noticeable on certain types of finish—matte is particularly susceptible to this—increasing the frequency at which you must clean the walls. As such, use something a bit more durable if you’re redesigning a busy room.
Desired Appearance and Style
Another vital consideration when you’re choosing an interior paint finish is your vision for the room’s appearance and style, whether that’s sleek and modern or rustic and traditional. Paint finishes offer the perfect complementary look and texture for the rest of your design. Carefully think about how you want the finished product to look and what tone you want the environment to establish. This will guarantee that you find something that works.
For additional help in choosing the right paint finish for your project, call Bear Mountain Custom Painting. Our team of professional residential painters in Atlanta is familiar with all the different variations of finishes, and they’ll work with you to determine the type that fits your needs. We also conduct color consultations to ensure you get what you want.
As rain showers give way to snowstorms, it is common for us as homeowners to begin overlooking our gutters. After all, there no longer seems to be any rain to redirect. However, these systems are still crucial in providing our homes with the proper amount of drainage and preventing costly water damage. These are some common winter gutter problems to avoid and how to mitigate their risk of occurring this season.
Clogged Piping
When snow and debris make their way down your gutter’s drainage pipes, they have the potential to freeze and completely clog the system. This prevents water from running through it, and your gutter could develop additional ice. Over time, the ice can continue to build—blocking off any avenue for water to drain and resulting in overflow. Remove any blockages before outdoor temperatures drop.
Downspout Damage
This same situation can cause your gutter’s downspout to burst. As snow and water freeze, they expand to fill the space containing them. As more and more ice collects in this area, the mass will continue to grow until the piping cannot hold it. This is when downspouts can start breaking open and become ineffective at directing water away from your home. To prevent this, inspect your downspouts regularly and clear away any blockages you see forming.
Ice Dams
Another common winter gutter problem to avoid is the development of ice dams. This is when snow from your roof melts and refreezes at the edge of your gutters. The ice often forms in large chunks that prevent water from entering the drainage canal. It becomes easier for overflow to occur and cause damage to your roof as well as your home’s foundation. Once again, preventing this issue ultimately involves keeping your gutters clear of debris.
Gutters do not only protect your home from rain. This is why, at Bear Mountain Custom Painting, we ensure that every home is properly prepared for the snow and ice on the way. Our home gutter installation contractors in Cumming, GA will work with you to repair or replace any sections that may cause you issues over the winter months.
As the temperatures start to drop and we start to spend more and more time indoors, it’s common for us to put a pause on our home renovation plans. But, believe it or not, winter is actually one of the best seasons for taking care of all your remodeling and repair needs. From installing a new set of windows to replacing your entry doors to even repainting, these tasks can all still be completed despite the cold. So, don’t let this time go to waste simply because it’s a little chilly outside. This is how to plan an exterior painting project in winter and get it done just in time for the holidays.
Establish the Scope of Work
The first step for any successful home project is to map out exactly what work you want done and to what scale it’ll need to be. For instance, you may choose to get your entire home repainted or just your patio or deck space. Depending on which you choose, you’ll have to customize the rest of your plan to accommodate these foundational needs. So, determining this from the start will be critical in the rest of your efforts moving forward. This step also gives you an opportunity to anticipate any potential setbacks in the process and what you can do to better streamline its success.
Set Your Project Budget
Once you have a clear picture of the work you want completed, it’s time to figure out if it can realistically fit into your budget. There are a lot of additional household expenses in the winter, such as heating and gifts for loved ones. Therefore, it’s important that you aren’t overspending on your painting efforts. If you’re unsure of how to begin pricing your project, consider reaching out to some local contractors for quotes. These initial price estimates will let you know just how much you can expect to pay on average for your particular job without locking you into an official contract.
Fortunately, it’s also common for contractors to offer special deals on projects that take place during the winter months. This is because business tends to be slower as we near the holidays and lowered prices is one method used to draw up business.
Determine a Timeline
Planning an exterior painting project in winter should also involve developing a timeline for when you want the work completed. This means setting a desired start and end date to the work as well as leaving wiggle-room for potential issues to arise. Your time frame may also need to be adjusted to accommodate your contractor’s schedule, and you might have to start sooner than anticipated to finish by the holidays. This is especially the case if your chosen business is closed on or near these dates, so always run your timeline by them prior to booking. Additionally, be patient when creating this portion of your plan as things will be prone to change during this hectic time of year.
Choose the Right Painters
As previously stated, certain house painters will provide you with specialized deals for winter projects. However, this doesn’t automatically make them qualified for the job. As you’re researching different painting companies in your area, make sure that they have experience working during the winter months and are familiar with the challenges it presents. Otherwise, you could end up with some results you didn’t expect. Quality companies will be very forthright with this information and will even encourage that you read their past client reviews for reference.
This search might require you to check out several different companies before you make your decision. But this is just fine as long as you’re being thorough. After all, if you’re going to put in the resources, you want to ensure that the job is getting done just the way you want it.
Purchase the Proper Painting Products
After finding the right professionals for your project, it’s time to acquire the proper materials. This involves choosing a color and picking up a paint product suited for winter conditions. If you haven’t yet decided on a color, it’s encouraged that you reach out to your hired professionals for advice on the matter. They can help you weigh your options and inform you of the pros and cons of using certain hues on the exterior of your home. These individuals can also help guide you through the process of choosing the right types of products for winter painting.
Unfortunately, using standard paint during winter causes the mixture to congeal and become difficult to spread. In fact, these paints will rarely dry properly in the cold and will flake off before the season is over. As such, it’s crucial that you’re using specialized winter paint, which is mixed with additional substances to help it bond to the home’s surface. In your research, pay extra attention to how the paint is rated. Most will be effective above 50 degrees, but you might need to find something else if you expect even colder weather.
Keep Track of the Weather
Most importantly, make sure you’re tracking the weather in the days prior to and during your painting project. While exterior paint will dry much quicker due to the dryness in the air, you don’t want your efforts to be thwarted by a sudden storm or below-freezing day. Therefore, you’ll want to keep an eye out for sudden dips or spikes in temperature and adjust your timeline accordingly. As a general rule, you’ll want to do the work towards the middle of the day and skip any days that are stormy or fall below 40 degrees.
On the plus side, since many contracting businesses will have less work during the winter, it’ll be easier to change your workdays to accommodate the weather. Just be sure you’re openly communicating these decisions with your professionals.
If you’re looking to paint the exterior of your home during this upcoming winter season, feel free to give Bear Mountain Custom Painting a call. Our exterior home painting experts in Cumming, GA have experience with painting in these colder conditions and, as such, know how to get you the best results this time of year. We can also assist you with choosing the perfect color for your home’s needs and we’ll answer any questions you have about our winter scheduling.
