For decades, white paint has been a safe option for interiors and exteriors alike. White paint can look sleek and modern in most homes, but it may not be the best neutral choice for everyone. Retailers and designers often turn to white paint when staging a home because it makes the space feel pristine. Choosing a neutral paint color can help your home remain cohesive, especially as you add decor or colored furniture pieces. Let’s look at some concerns of white paint that aren’t discussed by homeowners or professionals that often. This blog will also share how other neutrals may be a safer option for future home designs. 

Lighting Concerns

White paint is highly reflective, which means that it will create odd lighting effects around your home. While the white paint may look clean and modern, it can also make a room feel cooler than necessary. Different times of the day can alter how your paint looks as well. As the sun moves throughout the day, the shade of the paint can be altered. While you may be investing in a white paint, the color can change multiple times a day, making it difficult to curate a cohesive look. 

Reflecting Surrounding Colors

Another lighting concern is that white paint will reflect other bright colors around your home. Outside trees, surrounding paint colors, or strong UV rays can change the color of your paint over time. Not only will white walls, floors, and ceilings reflect the colors throughout your home, but they could also change the color of the paint over time. While paint may be white, outside elements can change it to have colored undertones. 

Few Paints Are Actually True White

All white paints are not created equal, even though all paint starts out as white, some may actually be off-white or cream when applied to your walls. There are hundreds of shades of white, all with different undertones. Cool whites, warm whites, creams, and more are all marketed as pure white paint. Unless you have a sharp eye to detect the differing shades, you may end up having clashing components. 

It Feels Staged Or Artificial

A fresh coat of white paint can do wonders for an older home. Adding white paint can prep a home to sell or make it look more modern without expensive remodels. Some homebuyers don’t see the appeal of white paint because it makes the space feel too commercial. Adding white paint to your trim or walls could cause it to feel lifeless. Especially if the room is staged with other white furniture, buyers or guests to your home may feel unwelcome. Creating a room that appears full could impact the rest of the home as well. 

White Now, Yellow Later

While a true white paint will look bright and visually appealing now, it can yellow over time. The sun or dirt can cause the paint to look dingy, especially if it is not maintained and cleaned. Leaving your white paint exposed to the sun, dirt, dander, and furniture can cause yellowing or color bleeding, making your home feel older than it truly is. 

Other Neutral Paint Options To Choose From

There are other safe, neutral options when it comes to paint. Instead of choosing white and risking any of the mentioned negatives, you can choose a warm or cool-toned neutral that will complement other materials in your home. Other neutral colors can make it easier to decorate your home with contrasting colors and will avoid the fading that comes with white paint. 

Some other common neutral colors to implement in your home include:

• Taupe
• Muted Greens
• Khaki
• Sand
• Grey
• Black
• Biege
• Champagne
• Walnut

Professional Painting From American Town Painting

While white paint may work for some, other neutral colors can last longer in a residential space. American Town Painting offers interior and exterior painting services to help improve the look and feel of your home. Our painters in Salt Lake are passionate about each project that we complete across Utah. 

In addition to painting, we also offer wallpaper installation. Having paint and wallpaper will give your home more depth and interest. No matter what project you want to complete, our professionals can help limit stress during a home remodel. Working with American Town Painting will give you peace of mind, long-lasting wall solutions, and a friend in the painting industry. Reach out to us to get a quote today!

Owning a historic home can bring a high sense of pride while also coming with unique responsibilities and expectations. If you want to preserve any of the historic charm of the home, it is best to follow proper exterior maintenance techniques and stick to a historic color palette. Depending on where your home is located, your neighborhood regulations, and your personal preference, your home could look stunning with a historic paint color. 

How do you know when to use a historic color over a modern one? If you don’t have an HOA does that mean you have the freedom to use a bright and bold color? Let’s take a look at considerations that play into choosing a paint color for historic homes. 

Check With Your HOA Or Local Historical Society

Some neighborhoods have historical societies that are dedicated to preserving historical buildings and landmarks. The historical society will work with the owners of historical homes to determine how best to preserve them and keep their charm. Other areas will have a homeowners association (HOA) that regulates what homeowners can do around and on their property. The HOA may not approve non-historical paint colors or modern paint colors, depending on the surrounding homes and landscape. 

Before you choose an exterior paint color, you must check with these societies to ensure your home is in compliance with historic regulations. Working with these groups will give you a clear picture of what paint colors are considered historic and how to proceed with the painting process.

What Paint Colors Are Considered Historic?

Depending on the paint brand, they may often have lines of historic paint colors that have been used throughout the years. Sherwin-Williams, Behr, and Benjamin Moore all have historical exterior color collections to help you choose the most appropriate paint color.

Here are some common historic paint colors to choose from:

• Off-whites
• Rich reds
• Beige
• Cool blue
• Brown
• Victorian Greens
• Colonial or Classic Yellow

If you are still not sure what paints will fit your historic home, you can look at photos of the home in its early years or records of the home’s original features. Repeat these processes and paint selections if you want to truly honor the old appeal of the home.

When To Use A Historic Paint Color

When you paint your home a historically appropriate color, it will increase your property value and visual appeal. Keeping to the correct color scheme will help you and others appreciate its authenticity. If you are someone who appreciates past generations and the architecture of different times, you will want to stick to a historic paint color. 

Preserving Architectural Integrity

Historic homes were built with a color scheme in mind, so when you are looking to keep the architectural integrity, choosing a proper paint color will help onlookers immediately recognize the type of home they are looking at. Victorian homes look best with multi-colored exteriors in bold colors. Colonial-era homes will lean toward muted tones. 

When To Use Modern Paint Colors

In a home that isn’t under strict regulations, you have more freedom with colors, exterior elements, and landscaping. Modern paint colors can often enhance older architecture while putting a modern twist on the home. Honoring the historic character of a home is still possible with modern tones if you keep accent colors that are true to the historic period. As mentioned above, many popular paint brands have stunning paint options that fit your historic theme and have modern elements. Quality paints will appear bright and shiny even if they are a historic color.

Exterior Home Painting From Our Professionals

American Town Painting focuses on exterior and interior painting for homes in Utah. Our team has been perfecting our painting skills for many years so that we can help improve the aesthetics of your home with quality paint. American Town Painting helps eliminate the stress of getting straight lines or damaging your furniture with paint splatters.

Proper exterior painting is crucial to the longevity of your home, especially if you live in a hot weather climate. Working with a professional painter in Salt Lake will ensure longevity, brilliance, and sticking to historic color palettes. American Town Painting works with all of our clients to determine how you want your home to look and feel. Reach out to us to get an estimate or schedule your paint project today.

When it comes to professional-looking wall treatments, the preparation steps are crucial. Preparing the walls for wallpaper installation will help it look its best and last through years of wear. Taking shortcuts when it comes to wallpaper will never end in a good result. Below are our professional tips to help homeowners or wallpaper professionals achieve the highest-quality wall treatments. 

Hiring a professional wallpaper installation team will help you avoid worrying about the proper preparation and straight lines. American Town Painting offers wallpaper installation to add more creativity to homes of all types. Our professionals are prepared to paint, refinish, or wallpaper your unique space. Learn more about preparing your home for wallpaper to ensure your rooms are ready for professional installation.

Use The Right Tools

Before installing wallpaper, you should use the right preparation and installation tools. Using high-quality materials and tools is the only way to get a clean look. Before you do anything, here are some tools that can be helpful for the project:

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Level
• Sandpaper
• Spackle and utility knife
• Sponge or cloth
• Painters tape
• Drop cloth or tarp
• Primer
• Smoother or application tools

Fill Cracks And Holes

The first step in achieving a professional-looking paint, wallpaper, or stain is to repair damages. Cracks and holes make the surface uneven and aren’t the best surface for wallpaper adhesion. Using a spackling paste or joint compound to fill in the holes or cracks will help create a smooth surface for wallpaper. Make sure to sand down the rough areas after filling so that the wallpaper can adhere properly. Even if you are having professional wallpaper installation, making these minor repairs before the team arrives will save them time. 

Remove Old Materials, Including Old Wallpaper

Nails, screws, and old wallpaper can also impact the adhesion of a new wall treatment, so it is best to remove them. Taking out screws and nails will prevent them from poking through the wallpaper and causing imperfections. Any hardware that can be removed and replaced after installation should be done during this stage as well. Light switch covers, handles, or door hinges should be removed, and a space will be cut in the wallpaper to achieve a sleek look. 

Ensure You Have A Smooth Surface

Some residential walls have finishes, texture, or damage that makes them uneven. Before a wallpaper application, the surface needs to be as smooth as possible. Using a sander or handheld sand paper, you should remove any rough texture. After the wall is smooth, you can apply a wallpaper primer that helps create a more even surface. A primer helps to fill in microscopic bumps, making the installation and future removal much easier. Before applying a primer, make sure the wall is clean and that any fine dust is removed. 

Wash With A Damp Cloth

Clean walls are best for painting and wallpaper installation. Small debris or dust that is trapped underneath wall coverings will cause bubbles or different imperfections. Using a damp cloth and a mild detergent, you can remove dirt, grease, and dust before moving on to the wallpaper installation. Cleaning and doing the correct prep work will almost give the wall a new life to adhere to new wallpaper.

Paint Surrounding Areas

If you plan to refresh the entire room with new paint and wallpaper, the paint should be applied first. The trim, window frames, baseboards, ceilings, and walls without wallpaper should be fully painted and dry before installing wallpaper. This will prevent paint splatters and drips from getting on your new wallpaper and ruining the look of the patterned wallpaper. If you plan to apply wallpaper to only one wall in the room, painting before an installation is the best way to avoid mistakes. 

Wallpaper Installation From American Town Painting

Our team is committed to professional installation, painting, and staining. American Town Painting will ensure that the wallpaper adheres properly to any wall in your home. Proper measurements and cuts are crucial to wallpaper, which is why we take every measure necessary to ensure a sleek look. American Town Painting wants to help you update your space without breaking the bank.

Our affordable services are able to improve the visual appeal of your home, no matter the project. Whether you need a fresh coat of paint, new wallpaper, cabinet refinishing, or epoxy floor coatings, we are the top choice in Northern Utah. Reach out to our technicians to schedule your project or learn more about our team.