Tips for Using Paint to Freshen Your Space

Does your home feel dull? Or maybe you’ve just moved into a new space, but you aren’t quite ready to utter the word “renovation”. We’ve got you covered. Paint can be transformative in washing away outdated styles and ushering in a new lease on life. Here are some of our top paint tips and favorite colors to get you started on your refresh journey.

Painting Prep

• Test it out!
  Do a paint out of the colors you’re considering in both sun drenched and unlit walls. It’s important to understand how color can shift and be sure you’re happy with all of its personalities.
  
• Three is the magic number.
  We always recommend paint options in sets of three to clients. Each in the same family: 1 light hue, 1 dark hue, and 1 middle of the road. It’s a good gut check and helps provide confidence in your decisions. We find that more than (3) is too many and can muddy your mind.
  
• Don’t let sheen confuse you.
  Sheen is essentially shine / reflection and it has a real functional purpose to it. For example, some spaces like Kitchens and Bathrooms need a sheen that can stand up to the moisture. Sheen can also help minimize imperfections in your walls or give a space a lux feel. Here is an easy guide for standard practices, but don’t be afraid to step outside the box and make your own rules. 

Painting Location 

• Raise the roof.
  Ok not literally, but definitely consider painting ceilings beyond basic white for a pop of unexpected color. A powder room is a great place to get your toes wet and have some fun where your feet don’t tread.
  
• Just the trim.
  This is a recent favorite that you can apply throughout or just in key rooms. We love painting trim (baseboards / crown molding) and interior doors to give spaces like kids rooms, bathrooms and studies more depth and personality.
  
• Keep it simple.
  So you’re not ready to be adventurous, that’s ok. Walls can carry a room all on their own. Whether you’re going for a clean, light and bright farmhouse look or something moodier, walls can get you where you want to be. 

HFD Paint Preferences

BM – Chantilly Lace
We reference this hue a lot below because it is a great crisp white to use on trim or walls throughout your home. It’s on the cooler side so it feels best in modern or transitional spaces. 

_{PAINT: BM-Chantilly Lace (Walls & Trim)} | _{CREDITS: Hayford Design / Molly Rose Photography}

BM – Classic Gray
This is the perfect gray-ish white with just enough warmth to work with traditional or modern spaces. In the sunlight it will read like a white with substance and at night you’ll enjoy the softest light gray to blanket your walls. We like to pair with BM – Chantilly Lace for molding / baseboards. If it’s a traditional space opt for BM-White Dove. 

_{PAINT: BM-Classic Gray / Dunn Edwards – Swiss Coffee | CREDITS: Hayford Design (iPhone shot!)}

Behr – Graceful Gray
Lately, we’ve been gravitating to warmer, earthier gray tones… but the trick is not too warm. We still like the crispness that a cool undertone provides. This is a great warm (But not too warm!) gray for cabinets and molding / baseboards. Pair with Behr – Painter’s White on walls if you go the trim route with Graceful Gray

_{PAINT: Behr – Graceful Gray / Behr – Painter’s White | CREDITS: Hayford Design (iPhone shot!)}

SW – Quietude
This color can be a chameleon depending on the lighting – while it’s categorized as a green, in some spaces it may lean more blue. Either way it’s a fun, vibrant yet earthy color that feels fresh for a modern setting, yet appropriate enough to bring life to bead-boarding in your most traditional space. Pairs well with BM-White Dove molding / baseboards or wall color for warmer environments. Try out BM-Chantilly Lace for a crisper contrast.

_{PAINT: SW-Quietude / Dunn Edwards-Swiss Coffee / BM-Iron Ore | CREDITS: Hayford Design (iPhone Shot!)}

BM – Hale Navy
If you follow our work it’s no surprise that this moody blue would creep into our favorites list. It’s a show stopper! We love how dark and bold it is without leaning too true blue. We use it again and again on cabinets and walls. Pair with SW-Swiss Coffee or BM-Chantilly Lace for a sharper cooler contrast.

_{PAINT: BM-Hale Navy / BM-Chantilly Lace | CREDITS: Hayford Design / Molly Rose Photography}

SW – Gray Wolf
This is a nice poppy blue gray if you’re feeling like having some fun. We prefer it for cabinetry over walls, but would love to see this color line the molding / baseboards of a kids bedroom or bath with some fun wallpaper. This is definitely a paint you’ll want to test in natural light vs dimer settings as lighting really impacts how much gray shows through. The ‘After’ image below was taken in a room with expansive north-facing windows which allowed lots of even natural light in.

_{PAINT: SW-Gray Wolf / SW-Chantilly Lace | CREDITS: Hayford Design / Molly Rose Photography}