We finally repainted our living room and wanted to show you the before and after!! We have huge dreams of big renovations, but in a rented apartment, those dreams are just going to have to wait. Painting a space isn’t always the easiest task, but it gives you the biggest impact!! After a days work, we’d definitely say it’s worth it!!
You know what we hate most about painting? The prep! Everything from finding the right paint color, to going back and forth to the hardware store to get it and then prepping the room. Once it’s time to start painting, it’s easy breezy, it’s all of the prep that’s annoying.
In this post we’re going to talk about our struggle we had with overbuying the wrong gallons of wrong paint colors, how Clare Paint changed everything for us, tips on how to pick the right paint color and tips on preparing your space before painting.
The Drama
We had a big struggle finding paint…it all started in February, we bought a gallon of paint on a whim! What could go wrong? The small paint chip looked great at the store! Well it was waaaay too dark! So we ran out and got a lighter shade, cause obviously that was the answer! Well, it ended up having a weird green tint in our lighting. Two more (failed) gallons later we gave up! Then the pandemic hit and we thought everything was going to be on hold. Until…
The Game Changer
Until…we found Clare Paint! It felt serendipitous! Clare Paint is a company that takes care of all the annoying prep work for you. They send large peel and stick color swatches that you can stick and (re)stick on your walls. Then when you pick out the color you want, they send EVERYTHING directly to your door!!!
-Paint, primer, ceiling paint, plastic drop cloth, painter’s washi tape, paint brushes, roller frames, roller covers, metal trays, tray liners, and extension poles.
We didn’t have to leave our apartment!! It was a complete game changer during quarantine…actually a huge game changer in general!
The Color Choice
Clare makes it so easy to pick the perfect color…after all of the gallons of failed paint, we finally chose our paint color! We wanted something on the darker/warmer side. After help from Clare.com and staring at all the swatches we chose Greige!
Tips on picking paint color:
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Clare has a quick quiz that will help narrow down what colors would work well in your space.
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Keep in mind that the color in your space affects how the color will actually look.
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Move your swatches around your room and see how the color looks in different spots, you’d be surprised how much it changes.
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Look at paint swatches during different times of the day.
Tips on prepping:
-Clear out the clutter
Move all your clutter to another room, the emptier your space is, the easier it will be to get around.
-Furniture to the middle
Push all your bulky furniture into the middle of the room.
-Always drop cloth
This is an annoying step, but cover your surfaces and furniture. You might think you wont-but you will drip and you will splatter.
-Prep your walls
Sand any rough spots or peeling paint on walls. Spackle any holes and sand them down.
-Wipe your walls
Always wipe down your walls with a damp cloth and let dry. Especially if you live in a city (it gets dirty quickly)!
The Outcome:
We love the change a coat of paint made to our living room. At first we were shocked at how dark the room seemed. It took us a while to settle into it, honestly at first we kept wondering if we made a mistake. If you’re feeling anxious about your color choice, put up some artwork! It changes everything and the color of the room becomes less of the focal point and more complimentary.
If you’re a renter and have been living with the same walls for years, take a weekend and paint! It’s totally worth it!! Painting really does give you the biggest impact no matter how subtle or bold!
