Paint q's

haywgl · Feb 27, 2008 9:12 am

Hi guys,
We currenlty live in a a fairly new townhouse which we plan on selling soon to build our dream home.
I would like to get it looking nice before we sell to increase value etc, its in great condition, bathrooms, kitchens etc are great, but I'm interested in painting some walls etc to add a bit of colour to the home.
At the moment all our walls are white except for one feature wall in the lounge which is a great purple/grey colour.
I want something neutral and subtle for the upstairs bedrooms, they are quite large, open, light filled rooms with white gloss paint to the main doors, ensuite and walk-in robe and also sliding doors to wardrobes in bedroom 2 + 3. ( I don't think I want to pain these)

My questions:
1) Any suggestions of colours you would recommend to paint the walls? Neutral/subtle but a bit more than plain old white

2) Is it ok to leave the main doors, sliding wardrobes, ensuite doors white when the walls are a different shade of colour?
3) Would it be better to just do a feature wall in each room? (I'm a bit wary of this as I think feature walls should make a bit of a statement and I don't want anything to drastic)

The window dressings are white by the way as are the skirting boards etc

Thanks heaps

Michelle · Feb 27, 2008 9:45 am

To be honest…….I’d leave them!

Spend the money on a doona cover and bright cushions for show in each of the rooms.

A blank canvas is better to work with for potential buyers than a colour on the wall that could make them turn their nose up.

By dressing the room, not the walls you are giving them inspiration, and by keeping the walls white, it will make the rooms look bigger.

The one mistake people make when selling their home….they assume what they like…..everyones else will like.

Keep it simple, classy and modern and you want go wrong!

Paula · Feb 27, 2008 9:47 am

Sounds like you have a great base to work with, why not dress it up with art, furniture or ornaments? If you start painting colours you may limit your market, although neutral is good.
Buy a few nice pieces that you can take with you to your new house

haywgl · Feb 27, 2008 12:00 pm

Thanks guys - great advice as usual!!

There are a few small marks on the walls which I can't seem to get off with elbow grease

Do you think its best to give the walls a fresh paint with white then?

Are people that fussy? Will it just be a a waste of time/money giving it a repaint?

i was thinking of just painting over the marks - not sure if it will look completly weird tho

Yak_Chat · Feb 27, 2008 12:21 pm

Quote:

There are a few small marks on the walls which I can't seem to get off with elbow grease

Better than using axle grease

Do you have any matching white paint? It's worth a go as a touch up job, or if you have none take a sample of paint to the shop and have it matched - it might not show up as a patch - and if it does - then you may have to redo that wall, and maybe the other walls in the room so it looks all the same.

And I thought - leave ital the white colour too - but left it for Mish and Paula to say

White is also good in case the new owner is buying as an investment, as white is an easier colour to rent out - tennants can put up a few paintings etc and the place looks customised to their tastes.

Steve

haywgl · Feb 27, 2008 12:43 pm

Thanks Steve!

Problem - solved I will leave the walls white.
Just wondering though - how do I get a sample of the paint to get colour matched - rip a chunk off the wall?

I honestly have no clue do I

Yak_Chat · Feb 27, 2008 12:58 pm

Quote:

Just wondering though - how do I get a sample of the paint to get colour matched - wrip a chunk off the wall?

Yep

Normally there is something you can rip off a bit of flaking paint or something.
Inside a cupbaord their may be a bit of trim you can take off, take it in then put it back in place afterwards.

Photos sometimes work.

Steve [/quote]

Michelle · Feb 27, 2008 8:02 pm

I’m with Steve; just do a quick patch up. But make sure you do the prep well or it will be seen.

There are so many whites out now, hard to tell which one you might have.
If it’s not a pure white, you can slip a piece of paint off the wall where the chips are and take it to a Dulux paint shop, they have a spectrometer; it will be able to match the paint exactly to the chip.

haywgl · Feb 28, 2008 7:52 am

Thanks guys!
I will get onto it this weekend - I was just going to use sugar soap to clean the walls and then a roller of the paint - they are quite faint marks so I'm hoping one coat will be enough...

If all else fails I'll just hire a painter :roll:

Yak_Chat · Feb 28, 2008 9:10 am

Haywgl - your on the right track there. Go for it.