apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow, we were just inspired to paint our new den and, instead of the usual agony and close examination of swatches throughout the day [or days], we picked out a color at night from our Pantone swatch book, and headed out to buy paint the next morning. It was a really gloomy day while we were painting, so we couldn't get a good sense of the color and, in fact, we thought we'd hate it.

In fact, it's amazing but not really what we'd expected! Luckily, it was a nice surprise. We were looking for a medium-light aquamarine, chose a color called Forest Glen from Glidden [which sounds green, doesn't it?], and now our den looks like what I'd call a Mermaid Fantasy [medium-bright greenish blue]. It works well but, umm, our usual strategy of taking our time with this decision is the best way to go!

"...decided we were going to help our boyfriend paint his new place."

AT editors--can "we" please come up with a way to avoid ridiculous statements like this? I know you have a prohibition against using "I" but in this instance the writer is forced to come across as part of a polygamist sect.

The writer could have said "one of our boyfriends," or just rephrased the sentence. Sorry to be a grammar snob, but when the writing style gets in the way of coherent thoughts, there's a problem.

...who knows, maybe everyone shares the boyfriend.

or "we were going to help our boyfriends paint their new places."

ha

Beautiful color choices and helpful suggestions. Your (plural) boyfriend must appreciate the help, as well as the harem. I tried to refrain, but cannot, and so here's yet another plea for a moratorium on the use of the royal "We." Unless your sweetie really does have multiple girlfriends, the phrase "our boyfriend" is just so wrong. If he is actually polyamorous, that's cool, but if that's not what you meant...

I learned it's worth it to shell out for the good tape to avoid paint bleeds.

I also learned a bedroom painted medium gray is much more soothing than one painted light yellow.

I'm just glad to see Apartment Therapy isn't bound by the shackles of monogamy.

Sorry, but I'm not extremely impressed with your choice of paint colors. It's the rich saturated colors that make those rooms in the photos - the pale shades you've chosen don't even compare.

The cracks and lumps in the walls aren't helping either - You need to spend alot of time in wall preparation before putting the paint on the walls to get a quality finish. You also need to paint all the walls in the hallway rather than leaving the end wall unpainted.

One thing I've learned is that plastic dropcloths are practically useless - they don't absorb drips and are difficult to use. Get the heavy canvas ones and you'll have them to use over and over again, plus they're easier to drape over floors and furniture and they can be easily moved around the room as you're working.

If you use a good quality brush with a steady hand or even a paint pad - you don't need to use painter's tape around all your doorways and mouldings, etc.

Finally - I'd get back to the hardware store and get some replacement faceplates for your electrical outlets and switches - The cheap ivory plastic ones scream "Tracthouse", but replacing them with brushed or polished chrome switchplates are like jewelry for your rooms and will truly make a big difference in your spaces.

Want to second the plug for a good quality brush: learning how to run an edge is one of the great joys of learning how to paint. Thought it was funny that "we" did not agonize over colors as "we" would have it was, um, "our" house we were painting instead of "our boyfriend's." On a more serious note, if you (and I use that in the plural sense) do ever remember the color of that gray (maybe it was Mormon Gray? or Polyamorous Gray?), do let us know. It's a nice color.

That AT boyfriend must really be livin' the life.

Definitely those walls need to be smoothed. At the very least, that crack above the doorway. A little joint compound and some sandpaper will go a long way towards fixing that. It's tough with untextured walls...they look way better, but they have to be perfect.

As for the "our boyfriend" thing...I'm with the grammar police on this one. I'll dispense with the lecture about how you guys are really technical writers not just design enthusiasts who happen to write. Anyone who is going to write for a living should, at the very least, make sure that they use correct grammar. It is impossible to achieve clarity and grace otherwise. Please, please don't make me gag when I read "your" (AT's) posts.

I have learned a few things over the years, both as part of a fuax-finishing team and from the painters I have hired.

~ Get a lambswool roller. They are available at 'paint stores,' like a Benjamin Moore store, and last for years (not at Home Depot or Lowe's, from my experience). A medium nap is good for all-around use. Treat it well. It's about $15.

~ Yeah, pooh on plastic drop cloths. Canvas ones last forever, or even old sheets are better than plastic.

~ 3M blue painting tape is the best, if you're not good at 'cutting in.' Only the pros are that good usually, and I personally do not care for trying to scrape mistakes off of my woodwork. Also, if you are cheap (like me), you can reuse the other side of the tape after you are done with one section.

~ Forget those flimsy disposable paint trays. Buy some sturdy plastic ones, and just scrub them well after using. We have even covered them with plastic bags overnight for use the next day and everything is still fine.

~ After living in both a 90 year-old home with plaster walls and newer construction, I can tell you that walls are uneven in both. On plaster walls, prep is key. On newer walls, especially those high up like in volume ceilings, surfaces can also be uneven. FLAT paint is the best way to minimize surface irregularities, as the light is absorbed more.

I hope you and your boyfriends will be very happy together ;)

I have to agree....I scrolled past the "after" photos because I thought they were still part of the "befores." Maybe the rooms will look better after more furniture is placed in them, but as is they're a bit dull (especially compared to the inspirational photos).

Also, I would have gone with flat paint....the glossy paint tends to show more of the irregularities in the walls.

And, yes, the use of "we" totally creeped me out in this article.

Kudos on the spontaneity! Next time go with your instinct and pick the dark colors like your inspiration. It's just paint - be daring!

The whole "we" problem is easily fixed. Start whole piece by writing "My freinds and I decided to paint my boyfriend's apartment..." Then contiue on with 'we' seeing as you did it as a group project. But seriously I don't care and I barely noticed, I am on this site for the pretty pictures not the prose.

Bravo for painting! Now I want to see it accessorized!

i used to use painter's tape, till a professional painter friend of mine let me in on a little secret: it's all in the way that you hold the brush. hold it the way you'd hold a pencil, with your fingers on the ferrule. and, don't overload the brush.

you definitely should have picked a lower sheen paint and done more work prepping the walls before you painted.

i am totally with everyone about the *we* bs. it's tres creepy.

Hmmm... some of us seem to be getting a bit preachy here, don't we? I think the colours (especially the grey) look great and are a big improvement to the space. As a renter, I understand that sometimes, you may not have the time/inclination/cash to put as much effort into your apartment than you would into your own home. Yes, it may not be a perfectly smooth wall accompanied by burnished chrome switchplates, but I think it's a huge step in the right direction.

I wish I knew which color of gray they used. I've been going to Home Depot for a while looking at grays for my living room -- that looks like a good shade.

I think you were right to take inspiration from the photos without having to go literal- the toned down version of the colors seem to suit your place more. I do agree that the walls look a bit bumpy but I am a renter in the same position- landlord doesn't want me to touch the walls though they are horrendously bumpy. At any rate, the paint you've chosen is lovely, I wouldn't take all that criticism too much at heart.

~Amanda
http://onehappypanda.blogspot.com

i dunno, i like the gray. i'm guessing it's a rental, so why bother with wall prep. i tend to get anal about painting so I won't weigh in on the tape vs. cutting in debate. Suffice to say, a good taper and caulk beats cutting in every day.

"Hmmm... some of us seem to be getting a bit preachy here, don't we?"

Sorry you took offense - But the point was to share what we know in order to get great results, not "Good enough for an older rental" results.

Back when I was raised, I was taught to take pride in a job well done whether I owned the place or not. Perhaps if more folks took the time and effort to do a great job of painting their rentals and doing minor wall repairs, many landlords wouldn't be quite so resistant on allowing tenants to paint or even put nails in the walls to hang artwork.

I am hoping to get permission from my landlord to paint an accent wall, so I really appreciate all the tips from both the poster and the commentators.

And I am going to jump on the bandwagon to banish the royal "we" in these types of posts. I refuse to accept that we have entered an era where writers, regardless of the subject matter or forum, need not care about their prose. "Our boyfriend" was distracting and just plain weird.

I painted my small bathroom a dark gray, which I was nervous about, but super glad I did! It's very soothing and I like it more than the austere white that preceeded it. I'm trying to paint my bedroom green but so far have made it through 6 samples without liking any. So.. my advice is be sure to try it out first! What looks good on paper? Might not be so good.

bepsf is right, as usual.

And a further note on the plastic dropcloth... they are seductively cheap, but dangerous! Seriously, they are VERY slippery on any surface (floor, carpet). I almost fell through a plate glass window when my ladder slipped on one of those things. Utterly worthless.

And for the record: "We" is odd. But even more disquieting is the constant talk of boyfriends. Sometimes I feel like I'm at cheerleading camp when I read this blog (and a lot of others, for that matter). Really. How about "friend" for a change?

I did notice the uneven surface of the wall because paint with any sheen to it will show imperfections, but for some reason, I find the imperfections charming and full of character. As for the switch plates, you can find many choices of material for replacement without having to resort to the tired old standby of chrome anything.

Always use a second coat no matter what. The second coat makes a difference. especially in smaller spaces.

i agree w/ madsarah...the 'we' made me think those crazy kids and their threesomes.

offputting to read. disrupts the flow of reading a post....WE need some writing therapy.

I've been going back and forth about whether to paint my rental studio. Don't worry, though, I have permission; I just have to paint it back when I move. At first glance it seems like something I could easily do, but I'm scared I'll mess it up. Thanks for the inspiration!
As for this whole "we" business, I like the usage. It makes the post seem more about AT and not about the person. However, that "our boyfriend" was was kinda weird. But please don't go back and edit it! It was entertaining.

I think the charm in the inspiration photos was the striae effect that is totally lost in flat paint. (I can't tell if the original is painted or wallpaper, but the horizontal stripes give the color life and texture.

The basic pear color of the original looks just like a Benjamin Moore paint (sorry, don't recall the name) that we recently painted our home office (that's my partner and me, not me imperially!) That paint line (Affinity and Aura) has some nice grays, too. (Now I'm thinking the office might need striae! Nah -- that would mean un-building the IKEA desk that we customized so it's essentially built in.)