Paint and color matters when looking to sell a home

Today my husband and I were out looking at open houses, and it inspired me to write this short blog for anyone putting a house on the market.  
    The first thing that every home owner should know is that paint is the easiest thing to change in your home, but the reality is that the cost of paint and labor is going up, so this can be more of an expense than people realize.  
   This is where good paint and colors come into play.  If you are looking to sell your home, or if you are a builder or real estate agent, I think it is important to bring up the topic of paint colors and paint quality.  While I myself can look past it and know that it can be fixed, a lot of people cannot.  
  I was inspired to write this blog because even I had a hard time looking past this particular house I saw today, mainly because it was a new construction, and it looked like it had been painted a decade ago.  What I think threw me off more than the poor color choices, was the lack of quality in the paint.  In a house that is considered to be brand new, you should not have cracked, sagging paint on every surface of the home.  It took away from the beauty of the moldings and spaces because the surfaces were done with such poor quality.  I would now need to consider painting ever inch of this house, not to mention doing the prep again because of these low quality products when looking at my budget.
   While beauty is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to color, when it comes to the quality, that is a whole other story.  The best advice I can give is that just like with everything else in life...you get what you pay for.  Do not believe that "paint is paint" because it is completely untrue.  It really does matter on the overall appearance of a house, and it is worth every penny to purchase good quality paint for a job.

  Check out the Muralo Ultra "the creme dela creme of paint" as I like to call it.  And for an eco friendly product check out the Muralo BreatheSafe.  You will be happy you used quality products when you see your walls and trim sparkle with these products.  And the colors from the Michelle Winick Color Collection will allow your spaces to feel clean and fresh, with a touch of elegance and sophistication.
   Happy Painting!
   

Can the type of paint you use change the way the colors look in the room?

Q. I am looking to repaint rooms of my home, and I want to see if you think the type of paint I use can affect the color.  I have been sampling colors, and the paint store mentioned the color can change when I put it up on the walls because they are different paints.  What does this mean?


A. This is a great question because this is a topic that a lot people do not speak about or know about.  Color sampling is tough when you are not sampling with the paint you are ultimately going to use.  Product and sheen can alter the way a color looks.  Sheen of paint will change the way the color reflects on the wall-the higher the sheen, the more the light will reflect off of it.  The color can even look lighter when you have more of a sheen.
   When you are sampling colors and buying sample pints, they are usually made with eggshell.  You may end up using a matte or flat on the walls, so you want to be aware of that once you finalize a color.
  The quality can also make a color look different.  A good quality paint will make the color look cleaner and richer.  An inexpensive paint can look muddy because the make up of it is different (I could get into the technical aspect of it, but it is not necessary).  I have had clients painters use contractor grade paint, and then notice that the colors do not look as good.

   This is something that everyone should be aware of because it can be the difference that makes or breaks a space.  Always check that your contractor is using a high quality, durable paint, such as the Muralo Ultra used with the "Michelle Winick Color Collection".  It is necessary not only for the quality of the job, but to make the colors in the space look fabulous!  Happy Painting!

A question from a homeowner on choosing colors for a new construction

Q. I am in the process of building a new home, and I am trying to choose colors for every room of the house.  I picked up the fan deck from the Michelle Winick Color Collection, and the story boards with the color combinations, and I wanted to see what you recommend for a home with nothing but some tiles and cabinets in it? We do not have any furniture chosen yet.  Where do I begin with color choice? What products are best for me? My children are young, and my current homes walls are a mess! Any suggestions you have will be greatly appreciated!


A. Congrats on building a brand new home!   I work on a lot of new constructions and spec homes, and that is how I came up with the concept of the color collection-using usable, sophisticated colors that bring out the elements of all homes-stones, tiles, etc.  The best thing to do is choose paint colors that allow you to bring in color with furniture later on.  My recommendation is to start with the common areas, and then work your way out into the other spaces.  A safe bet is to keep the foyer and hallways (common areas) a neutral color, and then branch off into other colors.
    Start by choosing a color a palette you are comfortable with (mainly decide if you prefer browner neutrals, grayer neutrals or neutrals with a warmer tone).  If you are bringing in a granite or stone in the kitchen that is predominately beige/brown, the neutrals are the best place to start.  (MW-1, MW-2, MW-3 and MW-6 are usually tones that will be in a granite).  If you are bringing in lets say a carrara marble with gray tones, then start with the serenity and earthy palette (MW-15, MW-16 and MW-21 are all great grays from my color collection).  The warmth collection is great for warmer accents.  Now that you have a color palette that works with the bones of your house (stones, tiles, etc), start to bring in deeper tones in those palettes into the living room, family room, etc.  Those spaces are also great to keep somewhat neutral so you can bring in fabrics, etc.later on.
   Once you have your palette for those spaces, start to bring in accent colors (greens, blues, etc.) perhaps into powder rooms, dining room, study, office, etc. Allow the palettes (neutrals, serenity, etc.) in the collection to guide you. The palettes of your choice will work together in harmony throughout your home from room to room.  And don't forget about the coordinating trim and ceiling colors.  Those trim and ceiling colors are what tie the whole space together!
  Now as far as the paint itself is concerned, the Muralo Ultra is the "creme dela creme" of the paint industry.  The Ultra Matte would be my recommendation for the walls.  It is a durable finish, yet flat enough to hide imperfections in the walls (especially in new construction where nail pops and settling will occur).  It is also scrubbable for those little fingerprints!  For the trim I suggest the Muralo Ultra Semi-Gloss or Satin.  The semi-gloss will be more of a shine than the satin, and that is just a matter of preference.  For the ceiling, the Muralo Ultra Flat is the way to go.  It is a dead flat, which is what you want for a ceiling to hide any imperfections due to the house settling, etc.
  Good Luck and Happy Painting!