Off Topic House painting

[Linsul]

My husband and I are going to repaint, so I'm posting to ask if anyone has used Benjamin Moore paints, Valspar, or Ralph Lauren paint. We're starting with the ceilings on down, so it's going to be a project and a half! The first time we painted I was 3 or 4 months pregnant, so it was a pretty basic palette just to get it over with because the fumes were a killer. We'll be priming with that Kilz stuff first, but need to pick colors so we can tint it and hopefully knock out having to paint a bajillion actual paint coats.

I've learned how to re-caulk after reading that it makes or breaks a paint job. Easy! Those 'tools' for removing old caulk are a bust though. I use a old butter knife, and a exacto knife to get the old stuff out, and my finger (to smooth the new caulk). That scraper tool doesn't dig in at all and scratches up the wall or baseboards.

All I know so far:

Were using this for the ceiling, I want to tint it a slightly warm white. It's very expensive though (to me anyway, $50 per is nutty...but google has shown me $100+ ceiling paint!)
Benjamin Moore Paints — Waterborne Ceiling Paint 508, Interior Paint

I think I want the dining room this color (Dinner Party by Benjamin Moore), its a big room that flows from the foyer, so I'm not 100% sure yet. The sample I painted on the wall looks good though!

dinner party

OR this color, Montpelier Red Velvet by Valspar
http://www.myperfectcolor.com/Match-of-Valspar-1009-6-Montpelier-Red-Velvet-p/mpc0098745.htm


Looking for a good neutral for the rest of the downstairs. Will probably paint the fireplace wall an accent color.

Any experience with paint and color appreciated...HELP!

 

[Deanna]

Im not able to offer much help. I know personaly I have always used the Valspar..only because of cost issues. I have seen on tv, comercials where they talk about a paint that has both the primer and the paint in it. So you supposidly only need the one coat of it. If that actually works (never used it or knew anyone that did) and the cost is the same or cheaper than buying the speratly, I would lean more towards something like that. As far as the colors, I LOVE the colors you chose. I like the deeper red colors though so im partial..lol. I know from past experience, when painting a dark color like that it was better (at least for us) to paint just wall, (an accent wall like you spoke of by the fireplace). If you paint a whole room a dark color it has a tendancy to make that room feel closed in and smaller. Like I said, I know Im not much help. Just wanted to let you know what we have been through with ours. And let you know I think the colors you chose to be superb..lol. Do keep us posted on what you do, and we would love to see pictures of the final product.

 

[Linsul]

Thanks for the info! I really like Valspar too, they have some great colors! I love red, I'm scared that since the dining room is a western facing room in the house that it may look cave like. I've decided to try and fix it with lighting if that happens though. Crossing my fingers here! Totally agree with you on the primer tips! Ugh, my walls drink up anything you slap on them. I'd rather get that over with on the cheaper primer step for sure. The Ben Moore paint cost is totally ridiculous, but I bought a sample to test it out on poster board and see if it lived up to the hype. Painted it on with a stiff messed up brush (its supposed to spread and be amazing). It did level out nicely! So I scribbled on it with sharpie and rubbed it with windex and a lysol cleaner the next morning. Like the youtube video I watched, haha. Sharpie was gone, paint stayed on the board, I was sold. I was really trying not to be too, I don't want to pay that much for paint! My kids are young and messy though, so I'm going to eat the cost for their rooms, dining room, and high traffic common areas. The local Ben Moore store can make most of the aura colors in the cheaper line called regal, so I'll be going that route wherever possible! Here's 'Dinner Party' in someones actual dining room, I LOVE it!

My daughters room is getting a chair rail, and we're going to paint the bottom portion the darker purple on the wall, top is going to be the same color as that lavender-ish color on the window.

I will post pics, if I ever get around to actually painting I ran into some fun details fixing up the walls and baseboards. Apparently the builders decided to nail some baseboards and door trim in, but not others. I want taller/wider ones anyway, and now my husband wants to spend paint and decorating money on wood flooring. Argh >< I'm beginning to see the allure of calling someone to fix things like baseboards. DIY route means you end up talking about it and risk spousal fund diversion lol!